The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 


Women  of  Plymouth  Colony 


1638 


/. 


The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

and 

Women  of  Plymouth  Colony 


By 

Ethel  J.  R.  C.  Noyes 


Plymouth,  Massachusetts 
1921 


Copyright,   1921,  by 
ETHEL   J.    R.    C.    NOYES. 


Linotyped  and  Printed  by  Memorial  Press,  Plymouth,  MaaB. 


FOREWORD. 

The  Pilgrim  Women  have  been  written  about  so 
little  that  it  is  indeed  a  pleasure  to  welcome  a  book 
bearing  the  title,  "The  Women  of  the  Mayflower  and 
Plymouth  Colony."  History  has  dwelt  long  and 
minutely  upon  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  and  their  great 
adventure,  but  has  passed  over  the  women  with  a 
generalization  and  occasionally  a  tribute.  Even 
their  contemporaries  have  had  but  little  to  say 
about  them.  The  author  of  this  little  book  is  to 
be  highly  commended  therefore  for  this  much  need- 
ed addition  to  our  meagre  store  of  literature  about 
the  mothers  of  this  Nation. 

There  is  much  need  to-day  to  perpetuate  their 
spirit,  to  practise  their  faith,  to  maintain  their 
ideals.  They  loved  liberty  and  endured  hardship, 
sacrifice  and  suffering  for  its  sake.  They  built  the 
homes  of  the  Nation  on  the  foundation  of  English 
ideals  of  home  and  family  life  which  we  cherish 
to-day  as  ours.  They  served  their  homes  and  the 
community  life  of  the  colony  with  loyal  and  un- 
swerving devotion.  They  brought  up  their  families 
in  those  rugged  virtues  and  a  living  faith  in  God, 


2050996 


4  Foreword 

without  which  nations  perish.  They  have  a  message 
for  us  to-day,  calling  us  back,  not  to  their  austerities 
but  to  their  righteousness  and  spirituality.  Such 
books  as  this  help  to  spread  that  message  through- 
out the  Nation. 

(Signed)     ANNE  ROGERS  MINOR, 

President  General, 

National  Society,  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution. 


The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

and 

Women  of  Plymouth  Colony 


THE  GREAT  NORTH  ROAD     . 
THE  SWORD  OF  THE  SPIRIT 
UNDER  THE  LINDENS  OF  LEYDEN 
THE  FIRE  OF  FAITH 
THE  FIRST  STREET     . 
THE  BRIDE  SHIP 

BENEATH  THE  PINES  OF  PLYMOUTH 
A  CHAPLET  OF  ROSEMARY 


11 

23 

35 

55 

83 

119 

131 

183 


THE  GREAT  NORTH  ROAD. 


Part  of   design   of   sampler  made  by  Lora  Standiah. 
seen  in   Pilgrim  Hall,   Plymouth 


May  be 


THE  GREAT  NORTH  ROAD. 

THREE  HUNDRED  and  a  few  more  years  ago  the 
Great  North  Road  leading  from  London  to  Edin- 
burgh ran  through  and  by  an  English  village  in 
Nottinghamshire  just  as  it  had  done  three  hundred 
years  earlier  than  that  and  as  it  has  these  three 
hundred  years.  The  streets  of  the  village  ran 
toward  it  and  into  it  as  brooks  flow  to  a  river,  it 
being  the  main  thoroughfare  of  travel  and  therefore 
source  of  all  outside  interests  for  the  inhabitants 
of  the  village. 

At  the  corner  as  one  could  say,  of  one  of  these 
little  streets  or  roads  where  it  joined  the  Great 
Road,  one  spring  day  of  the  sixteenth  century,  we 
might  see  a  group  of  some  of  the  villagers,  young 
people  principally,  and  it  is  plain  some  event  of 
unusual  interest  has  called  them  together;  they 
are  laughing  and  waving  to  a  young  man  who  rides 
away  from  them  down  the  road,  a  friend  who  has 
been  one  of  them  from  childhood  and  popular  as 
evidenced  by  the  number  who  have  been  wishing 
him  a  safe  journey  and  all  the  usual  farewells  of 
any  time  and  place.  This  young  man  with  the 
pleasing  face  and  manner  is  the  son  of  the  post- 
master of  the  village  and  he  goes  to  college;  his 
erstwhile  companions  gaze  after  his  retreating  figure 
down  the  Great  Road  through  the  meadows  and 


12  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

farm  lands  and  there  is  one  girl  looks  the  longest  — 
a  girl  named  Mary. 

Other  times  other  manners  in  some  things  —  yet 
even  today  in  another  country  village  we  have  seen 
the  postmaster's  son  leave  home  for  college,  not  on 
horseback  but  in  an  automobile,  and  a  gay  crowd  of 
his  friends  seeing  him  off,  his  presence  to  be  missed 
in  much  the  same  degree  as  among  those  we  are  now 
viewing  with  the  mind's  eye.  Though  time  and 
circumstance  be  the  result  of  the  passing  of  three 
hundred  years,  human  nature  remains  as  unchanged 
as  the  sky  and  sea;  the  student  of  the  present  whom 
we  mention  may  be  cousin  of  a  Cabinet  official,  that 
scarcely  is  remembered  at  the  moment,  neither  is  it 
thought  of  that  the  boy  who  rides  on  the  Great 
Northern  Road  is  a  member  of  one  of  the  most  sub- 
stantial county  families,  with  powerful  friends 
ecclesiastical  and  lay.  As  the  turn  of  the  road  will 
soon  take  him  from  sight,  he  looks  back  at  the  group 
watching  him  for  a  final  wave  of  his  hat,  then  rides 
on  towards  his  destination,  Cambridge,  thinking, 
perhaps,  of  the  gentle  Mary,  whom  we  have  noted, 
whose  fine  character  and  winning  ways  are  already 
an  influence  with  him  and  not  thinking  at  all,  or 
knowing,  of  another  Mary  who  is  to  be  perhaps  an 
equal  if  not  more  potent  influence  in  his  life  —  a 
woman  in  as  great  a  contrast  in  rank  and  circum- 
stance as  the  difference  may  be  between  a  queen  and 
a  village  maid. 

The  gay  group  now  lessens  as  some  turn  their 
steps  towards  their  daily  tasks,  a  few  of  the  boys 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  13 

perchance  to  a  long  walk  to  the  nearest  school,  few 
and  far  between  in  those  days;  others  to  help  in 
the  farm  work,  if  parents  could  not  spare  them; 
the  girls  to  look  after  the  flocks  on  the  Commons,  or 
home  work,  such  as  cooking,  wool  spinning,  caring 
for  the  children  or  the  sick.  In  this  time  and  local- 
ity no  hospitals,  orphanages  or  homes  for  the  aged 
were  there  to  relieve  the  sick  or  homeless;  friend- 
ship and  charity  must  indeed  have  reached  a  crest 
among  these  only  moderately  well  to  do  people, 
education  was  backward  from  conditions  easily 
found,  yet  a  thread  of  knowledge  of  life  in  other 
countries  as  well  as  their  own  came  almost  daily  to 
these  quiet,  rustic  people,  not  by  books  or  news- 
papers, (the  first  seen  rarely,  the  last  not  existing), 
nor  by  letters  which  were  not  publicly  delivered  by 
the  government  until  some  time  later,  but  by  the 
constant  travellers  on  foot  or  on  horseback  by  the 
Great  Road.  The  post  house,  both  an  inn,  relay 
station  and  receptible  for  news,  though  not  a  post 
office  as  is  today  thought  of  by  the  words,  was  the 
finest  house  in  this  particular  town  and  well  known, 
from  the  north  country  to  London.  The  position 
of  postmaster  was  a  coveted  benefaction  of  the  gov- 
ernment, the  salary  being  large  and  enabling  the 
official  to  lease  the  manor  house  from  a  wealthy 
ecclesiastic.  The  office  at  this  time  had  been  re- 
tained in  one  family  for  several  generations.  Thus 
the  men  and  women  and  children,  of  course,  had 
plenty  to  talk  about  beside  their  local  interests  at 
gatherings  at  the  inn  or  after  church  services  on 


14 


Sundays,  for  the  old  Church  still  was  revered  and 
followed,  the  changes  that  were  coming  to  some  of 
its  then  supporters  not  yet  discernable. 

As  we  have  selected  a  spring  day  for  our  glimpse 
into  this  long  ago  life  we  may  hear  conversation 
among  our  young  friends  of  the  coming  May  Day 
fetes  and  procession  of  mummers  and  maskers,  and 
plans  being  formed  and  opinions  given  as  to  who 
should  act  the  usual  characters  in  the  masque  of 
Robin  Hood.  It  was  a  pity  indeed  that  "Will" 
would  not  be  with  them  this  year;  who  might  be 
Alan  a  Dale  in  his  stead?  But  Will  was  graver 
since  learning  Latin  and  Greek,  perhaps  he  would 
not  care  for  their  good  times  as  much  as  he  used  to. 
A  mistake  surely  —  Will  was  just  as  sociable  and 
genial  as  ever. 

Thus  Mary  and  an  Alice  and  Elizabeth  and 
another  Mary  and  Katherine  chatted  away  of  com- 
ing pleasures  and  absent  friends  as  blithe  as  any 
similar  bevy  of  girls  in  a  far  futured  century  from 
theirs  can  do. 

In  front  of  one  of  the  cottages  another  group  has 
gathered;  a  peddler  has  come  in  and  the  older 
women  have  let  the  brew  and  baking  wait  a  few 
moments  to  hear  the  news  of  the  towns  he  has  come 
from  on  his  chain  of  travel,  where  other  friends 
dwell,  and  to  see  his  merchandise.  The  girls'  eye* 
gleam  as  they  join  the  listeners  and  prospective  buy- 
ers, departing  Will  and  coming  dances  forgotten 
for  the  moment  in  this  new  interest  of  the  day. 
Joy!  Patty,  across  the  river,  has  sent  a  message  to 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  15 

Bess;  not  a  written  note,  oh,  no,  for  neither  she 
could  write  nor  Bess  could  read  it,  but  a  message 
well  delivered  by  the  friendly  vender  of  trifles,  so 
why  give  a  thought  to  a  lack  of  ability  to  read  or 
write  just  then,  when  one  has  learned,  nevertheless, 
the  latest  important  event  in  the  life  of  a  dear  friend 
in  her  very  own  words.  The  peddler  was  a  reliable 
and  patient  transmitter  of  words  or  gifts;  a  tele- 
phone and  parcel  post  in  one,  and  always  a  welcome 
visitor.  Today  he  might  be  telling  of  the  pageant 
lately  given  in  a  city  not  far  away  in  distance,  but 
far  in  fact  to  them,  to  entertain  the  Queen  on  a  visit 
she  had  made  there  in  the  interests  of  the  enterprise 
and  industry  that  "Good  Queen  Bess"  endeavored 
to  prosper  in  her  land.  Fashions  were  also  described, 
as  the  old  time  peddlers  were  indeed  specialists  in 
much  beside  selling  commodities  and  fancies.  It  is 
decided  that  Molly  "shall  have  a  new  ribbon  to  tie 
in  her  nut  brown  hair."  A  new  clasp  knife  is 
needed  by  some  one; — listen  to  the  tale  of  the 
strange  vegetables  now  being  brought  for  the  nobles 
and  gentry  from  the  place  called  the  Queen's  kitchen 
garden  in  Holland.  He  had  seen  them  and  they 
were  good  to  taste ; — a  measure  of  linen  ?  yes ;  starch 
just  imported  and  the  use  explained;  a  looking- 
glass,  none  too  many  on  hand  for  comfort;  a  Bible 
printed  in  English  by  a  Dutch  printer  —  he  has  just 
sold  one  to  the  rector  in  a  neighboring  town  —  and 
so  the  peddler  passes  by. 

An  arrival  at  the  inn,  later  in  the  day,  of  a  high 
dignitary  of  the  Church  with  his  train  of  employees 


lo  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

made  bustle  about  the  village  while  horses  were 
changed.  Towards  evening,  many  of  the  people 
gathered  about  the  manor  house,  old  in  their  day, 
and  while  the  sunset  gleamed  in  the  fish  ponds  on 
the  estate  and  touched  the  church's  spire,  they 
talked  of  that  day's  and  other  day's  events,  dis- 
cussed the  curtailment  of  the  commons,  as  the  land- 
lords enclosed  more  and  more,  whereof  one  had  said 
not  that  geese  were  stolen  from  the  common  but 
the  common  taken  from  under  the  geese;  stories 
heard  from  travellers,  or  doubted  what  they  could 
not  believe.  A  noted  personage  had  passed  that  way 
quite  recently  who  had  made  more  than  ordinary 
impression,  a  gentleman  of  the  court  going  on  an 
important  mission  to  Scotland,  then  quite  as  foreign 
seeming  a  country  as  Holland,  where  this  gentleman 
had  lived  also.  He  had  talked  especially  with  Will, 
the  postmaster's  son  and  seemed  glad  to  hear  about 
his  studies,  and  was  altogether  friendly.  But  few 
travellers  changed  the  course  of  the  lives  of  any  of 
the  dwellers  in  this  community  as  this  same  pleasant 
gentleman  was  to  do  for  some.  Could  Mary  have 
dreamed  that  she  should  see  her  Will  one  day  riding 
away  again,  not  to  studies  of  Latin  and  Greek  but 
in  company  with  this  same  gallant  gentleman,  to 
the  study  and  knowledge  of  a  new  world  and 
language,  as  private  secretary  of  Queen  Elizabeth's 
ambassador  to  Holland? 

Neighborly  visits,  while  the  twilight  lingers  after 
babies  are  in  their  cradles,  for  recounting  impres- 
sions and  retelling  news;  thus  the  women  of  that 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  17 

little  village  close  a  day  like  many  another  of  which 

their  lives  were  made. 

"Weaving  through  all  the  poor  details 
And  homespun  warp  of  circumstance 
A  golden  woof -thread  of  romance." 

Time  to  measure  of  several  years,  is  spent  almost 
unnoted  by  these  quiet  dwellers  in  the  village  of 
Scrooby,  the  village  we  have  pictured;  life  for  them 
does  not  greatly  change,  but  for  William  Brewster, 
the  postmaster's  son,  change,  variety,  experience, 
have  filled  each  day  since  Mr.  Davidson,  the  Queen's 
ambassador  and  advisor,  called  him  to  become  his 
secretary  and  confidential  friend.  The  experiences 
of  this  period  both  abroad  and  in  his  own  country 
have  been  narrated  by  many  and  may  be  read  in 
various  writings.  At  the  close  of  these  interesting 
years,  when  all  things  pointed  to  a  continuance  of 
the  brilliant  life  stretching  before  him  as  courtier 
or  politician,  suddenly  all  was  changed.  One  day, 
news  came  to  Scrooby,  as  to  the  rest  of  the  country, 
that  Mary  the  Beautiful,  exiled  Queen  of  Scots,  was 
dead.  How  this  event  directly  affected  William 
Brewster  and  brought  him  to  his  home  again  may 
also  be  read  elsewhere.  He  became  once  more  a 
country  resident,  welcomed  and  beloved  by  all  his 
old  friends.  The  day  of  days  dawned  for  Mary  and 
smiled  upon  her  marriage  with  Will.  He  received 
the  appointment  to  the  Scrooby  post,  in  succession 
to  his  father,  so  the  old  manor  house  became  home 
to  Mary  for  many  years,  and  as  the  wife  of  the  most 


18 


respected  and  admired  man  of  the  community  —  the 
leader  in  thought  and  opinion,  her  days  must  have 
been  filled  with  honest  pride  and  pleasure  and  love 
for  her  husband  and  children.  That  these  happy 
years  should  close  with  anxiety,  distress,  poverty  as 
her  portion  was  because  of  the  very  importance  of 
her  husband's  position. 

The  causes  which  made  for  the  startling  contrast 
were  slow  in  gathering  yet  when  accumulated,  the 
effects  followed  with  rapidity.  Naturally,  as  Wil- 
liam Brewster  settled  back  into  his  old  place  at  the 
home  of  his  boyhood,  the  differences  he  had  noted 
between  life  on  the  Continent  and  in  his  native 
country  made  an  ever  recurrent  impression.  The 
word  pictures  he  drew  of  vastly  different  scenes  and 
manners,  customs  and  dress  found  an  ever  ready 
audience  and  were  recounted  in  the  effort  to  broaden 
and  educate  his  hearers.  At  the  same  time,  he 
resumed  acquaintance  with  college  friends  in  other 
places  and  persuaded  some  to  move  into  his  locality. 

During  these  years,  the  farmers  found  living 
much  more  difficult,  owing  to  landlord's  selfishness 
who  were  growing  richer  while  their  tenants  grew 
poorer,  also  these  country  people  found  their 
religious  life  growing  more  difficult.  Church  and 
State  were  one,  and  ordered  its  subjects'  lives  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end;  persons  who  did  not  care 
to  be  so  controlled  were  soon  made  to  see  the  error 
of  their  ways.  Nevertheless,  as  the  Bible  was  made 
accessible  to  more  of  the  people  from  being  printed 
in  their  own  language,  and  as  workers  from  the  Con- 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  19 

tinent,  chiefly  Holland,  came  to  live  and  mix  with 
the  English,  other  ideas  and  views  were  taken  by 
some,  quite  different  from  the  long  dominant  ones 
of  the  State  Church. 

Enough  of  these  persons  who  thought  alike  separ- 
ated from  the  old  Church  to  call  themselves  a  new 
Church  and  held  religious  services  among  themselves 
at  their  own  houses.  William  Brewster  was  the 
leader  in  his  part  of  the  country,  and  so  many  gladly 
followed  his  teachings  and  example  that  the  Church 
tried  in  every  way  to  restrain  them.  Brewster 's 
personal  charm  and  influence,  his  intellect  and  gen- 
erous spirit  drew  countless  numbers  of  men  and 
women  for  miles  around  to  his  home  for  the  worship 
they  conducted  according  to  their  ideas  of  right  and 
liberty  of  conscience.  After  the  service  in  the  old 
Chapel  of  the  manor  house,  he  entertained  all  the 
company  at  dinner. 

Just  here  we  can  see  Mary  Brewster,  the  sympa- 
thetic and  charming  hostess,  her  fair  face  silhouetted 
against  the  dark,  age  old  wainscot  of  the  refectory 
or  dining-room,  of  the  manor  inn,  surrounded  by  her 
and  her  husband's  early  friends  and  those  of  later 
years,  loved  by  them  all  for  herself  no  less  than  as 
the  wife  of  their  revered  leader. 

These  gatherings  came  to  be  held  in  secret,  of 
necessity,  as  the  members  were  liable  to  arrest  for 
absenting  themselves  from  the  regular  Church  serv- 
ices and  teaching  other  views.  Spies  were  set  to 
report  their  actions,  and  some  were  called  before 
the  magistrates  and  sent  to  prison.  It  became  plain 


20  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

that  they  could  not  continue  in  that  manner  —  un- 
certainty and  anxiety  becoming  daily  companions. 

Queen  Elizabeth  died;  her  successor  rode  down 
from  Scotland  on  the  Great  North  Road  and  stopped 
with  all  his  retinue  at  Scrooby.  This  was  doubtless 
the  last  brilliant  assembly  that  the  manor  saw,  when 
the  home  of  the  Brewster's.  The  people  hoped  for 
better  things  at  his  accession,  but  soon  learned  that 
he  was  to  be  just  as  hard  upon  them  and  times  would 
be  worse.  Plans  were  made  among  them  under  the 
guidance  of  Brewster  for  emigration  to  Holland 
where,  as  he  knew,  there  was  liberty  and  welcome 
for  all. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  realize  the  reluctance  with 
which  they  came  to  this  decision,  to  leave  all  their 
natural  associations,  to  give  up  much  that  was  dear 
with  almost  no  hope  of  a  return.  Sad  indeed  were 
these  days  for  Mary  Brewster  and  the  other  women 
of  the  community  who  were  preparing  like  her  to 
part  with  much  of  their  belongings,  their  homes  and 
friends  who  could  not  think  as  they  did  but  were 
cherished,  notwithstanding. 

"Well  worthy  to  be  magnified  are  they 
Who  with  sad  hearts  of  friends  and  country  took 
A  last  farewell,  their  loved  abodes  forsook, 
And  hallowed  ground  in  which  their  fathers  lay." 

The  final  summer  for  them  in  the  old  home 
passed ;  that  each  sunset  brought  a  certain  regret, 
each  rose  that  bloomed  a  more  than  passing  atten- 
tion we  may  believe.  Yet  it  seemed  the  best  thing 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  21 

they  could  do  for  themselves  and  their  children.  In 
the  place  where  they  would  make  their  new  home 
others  of  English  birth  and  similar  experiences  were 
already  settled,  having  been,  as  they,  forced  to  leave 
their  own  land ;  at  least  they  would  be  welcomed  by 
and  could  have  intercourse  and  sympathy  with  those 
of  their  own  race  and  country,  advice  and  help  also 
in  the  matter  of  the  problem  of  living  —  a  somewhat 
staring  one,  as  they  were  ignorant  of  any  solution 
but  their  own.  Curiosity,  too,  supposed  ever  to  be 
an  attribute  of  women,  might  pierce  their  melan- 
choly a  little,  and  they  had  heard  enough  to  wish  to 
behold  for  themselves  since  the  opportunity  had 
come;  the  enthusiasm  for  adventure  on  the  part  of 
the  children  must  have  lightened  the  prospect  as 
well.  The  pain  was  in  giving  up  the  dear  interests, 
the  fond  associations  of  their  lives. 

Dull  indeed  the  eye  of  fancy  which  cannot  see 
Mary  Brewster  with  her  two  little  daughters  coming 
down  the  stone  steps  of  the  manor  house  in  a  golden 
evening,  to  follow  the  path  through  the  meadow 
fields  towards  Ryton  stream  and  there  wander  on  its 
banks,  visiting  favorite  nooks  and  listening  to  the 
bird's  good  night,  for  them  seeming  notes  of  fare- 
well. As  Experience  wears  ever  the  same  dress,  her 
mirror  must  reflect  for  each  of  us  some  such  scene 
as  this. 


THE  SWORD  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 


Design   of   carving1   on   pew  back  from  old   Church  at  Scrooby, 
England.       May  be  seen  in  Pilgrim   Hall,   Plymouth. 


THE  SWORD  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

A  SHIP  had  been  engaged  to  meet  them  at  Boston 
from  where  these  travellers  were  to  sail.  The  first 
stage  of  their  journey  was  accomplished  by  their 
arrival  at  that  town.  Since  the  edict  that  whoever 
did  not  subscribe  to  and  uphold  the  State  Church 
must  leave  the  country,  one  would  suppose  that  their 
proposed  departure  would  not  have  been  difficult, 
but  when  it  was  discovered  how  many  desired  to  go 
and  had  so  arranged,  malice  itself  must  have  been 
the  cause  of  the  refusal  of  the  authorities  to  permit 
it.  The  ship's  master  then  had  to  be  well  paid  to 
consent  to  take  them  away  in  secret.  Instead  of 
meeting  them  at  the  appointed  time  in  daylight,  he 
kept  them  waiting  until  night,  but  they  all  were 
finally  on  board  with  their  baggage.  Before  the 
ship  had  gotten  a  fair  start,  however,  they  were 
stopped  by  the  port  authorities  who  had  been  warned 
by  the  ship's  owner,  himself.  The  voyagers  were 
taken  from  the  ship  back  to  the  town  in  small  boats, 
their  belongings  examined  and  those  of  most  value 
as  well  as  all  their  money  taken  from  them,  the 
women  having  to  undergo  as  thorough  a  search  of 
their  persons  as  the  men,  which  their  own  chronicler 
speaks  of  with  indignation.  Still  further  embarrass- 
ment awaited  these  women  when  they  were  all 
marched  through  the  town  in  the  early  morning  and 


26  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

people  hurried  into  the  streets  to  stare  at  them  as 
at  a  spectacle,  and  followed  them  into  the  court 
room.  Here  the  magistrates  were  more  favorably 
disposed  toward  them  but  were  obliged  to  order 
their  imprisonment  until  the  Lords  in  Council 
should  decide  their  case.  After  a  month's  confine- 
ment, which  was  made  only  less  trying  and  uncom- 
fortable by  the  kind  hearted  magistrates  —  to  their 
great  credit — the  women  and  children  and  most  of 
the  men  were  dismissed  and  sent  back  whence  they 
came,  by  order  of  the  Council;  the  more  prominent 
men  were  kept  till  the  autumn  was  far  advanced 
before  their  freedom  was  granted. 

The  wounds  to  their  feelings  were  healed  by  de- 
termination, and  after  an  unexpected  winter  among 
their  friends,  who  in  vain  urged  the  abandonment  of 
their  plans,  some  of  them  were  ready  to  make  a 
second  attempt  to  accomplish  their  object. 

Brewster  and  several  men,  especially  his  friend, 
John  Robinson,  made  other  and  as  they  thought 
safer  arrangements  for  this  venture.  So  one  bleak 
day  at  the  end  of  the  winter,  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, with  the  necessary  baggage,  embarked  in  a 
small  boat  at  an  inconspicuous  place  on  the  coast, 
and  sailed  out  on  the  sea.  The  large  boat  chartered 
for  the  voyage  was  to  await  them  at  an  appointed 
place  near  the  shore,  between  Grimsby  and  Hull, 
and  the  men  were  to  go  by  land  to  meet  it  and 
the  small  boat  bringing  their  families  and  pos- 
sessions; all  were  to  board  it,  and  hoping  for  a 
more  trusty  master  of  this  ship  before  news  of  their 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  27 

plans  would  get  to  unfriendly  ears,  would  be  away. 

Such  good  time  was  made  by  the  little  boat  from 
shore  to  rendezvous,  that  it  reached  the  appointed 
place  before  the  larger  ship  arrived  and  must  ride 
at  anchor  in  a  choppy  sea.  The  women  being  unac- 
customed to  travel  by  sea  were  most  uncomfortable, 
and  the  weather  becoming  worse,  with  the  boat 
pitching  and  tossing  so  continuously  they  were 
driven  to  desperation  and  begged  the  seamen  to  run 
the  boat  into  an  inlet  where  the  water  was  quiet, 
that  they  might  have  some  rest.  The  men  evidently 
compassionate,  did  so,  but  it  was  a  most  unfortunate 
move,  though  seemingly  harmless.  The  night  was 
spent  in  that  strange  and  lonely  place,  while  their 
thoughts  must  have  been  busy  with  questionings  as 
to  the  non-arrival  of  the  ship  and  the  possibility  of 
the  men  being  arrested  before  they  could  get  to 
them;  the  cold  was  penetrating  and  in  their  efforts 
to  keep  the  children  warm  and  quiet,  the  keeping  up 
of  their  own  courage  was  under  long  odds. 

In  the  dimness  of  the  dawn,  they  could  see  the 
ship  making  anchor,  and  on  shore,  their  men  could 
also  be  seen,  so  hope  arose  with  the  morning,  soon 
to  be  overcast,  however,  when  it  was  realized  that 
their  little  boat  was  fast  on  shore,  and  no  chance 
of  release  till  the  tide  rose.  The  resourceful  Dutch 
captain  of  the  larger  ship,  endeavoring  to  honestly 
earn  his  money,  sent  his  own  small  boat  to  shore  to 
gain  time  by  taking  on  the  men.  These  activities 
gave  the  children  some  entertainment  at  least,  we 
suppose,  and  they  doubtless  waved  and  called  to 


28  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

their  fathers  and  friends  as  the  first  boat  load  left 
shore  and  boarded  the  ship ;  the  second  trip  was 
begun  when  suddenly  the  watchful  captain  saw  an 
armed  company  appearing  in  the  distance;  one 
glance  and  his  efforts  were  all  in  the  direction  of 
getting  himself  and  his  boat  to  safety,  no  matter 
who  might  be  on  it  or  who  not  on  it.  His  sails  were 
quickly  run  up,  his  anchor  raised,  notwithstanding 
the  entreaties  of  the  men,  who  also  realized  the  sit- 
uation, to  send  them  ashore,  at  least,  if  he  would  not 
stay.  The  plight  of  the  women  and  children,  help- 
less onlookers  of  this  tragic  end  of  their  plans,  drove 
the  men  wellnigh  frantic,  both  on  the  ship  and  on 
shore.  The  ship  was  soon  out  of  sight,  flying  before 
a  good  wind,  but  into  as  great  a  storm  as  they  left 
breaking  behind. 

Quick  consultation  among  the  remaining  men  de- 
cided who  should  try  to  escape  and  who  would 
remain  with  the  women.  It  was  wiser  that  not  all 
should  be  taken  this  time  if  it  could  be  avoided. 
Some  of  them,  therefore,  thus  leaving  their  friends 
and  families  in  this  dire  situation,  got  safely  away, 
though  their  position  was  no  more  enviable  than 
those  husbands  and  brothers  who  were  taken  away 
on  the  ship.  No  marvel  that  the  women,  even  the 
bravest,  were  heartsick  and  in  tears,  with  their 
husbands  apparently  lost  and  the  children,  fright- 
ened, cold  and  sobbing,  clinging  to  them.  But 
they  had  two  or  three  of  the  men,  and  well  could 
Mary  Brewster  be  a  tower  of  strength  to  most, 
seeing  her  own  husband  still  on  the  shore  and  know- 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  29 

ing  what  a  rock  he  would  be  for  them  all  to  lean  on. 

When  the  company  of  men  on  horseback  and  on 
foot  came  to  the  water's  edge,  where  the  boatload  of 
women  and  the  few  men  awaited  their  fate  at  their 
hands,  they  placed  them  under  arrest  and  hurried 
them  to  the  nearest  town,  to  the  court. 

With  their  former  experience  in  mind,  they  anti- 
cipated a  long,  dreary  imprisonment;  but  unlocked 
for  circumstances  pleaded  their  cause.  Each  magis- 
trate before  whom  they  were  taken  in  turn,  with 
ever  increasing  haste,  seemed  anxious  to  shelve  the 
responsibility  of  a  sentence.  Their  case  seemed  so 
innocent  and  pitiable,  the  appearance  of  so  many 
despondent  women  and  chilled  and  shivering  child- 
ren, so  appealing,  that  no  justice  could  harden  his 
heart  sufficiently  to  imprison  them,  more  especially 
when  their  only  crime  seemed  to  be  the  desire  to  be 
with  their  husbands,  wherever  they  went,  which 
was  certainly  a  compliment  to  men  in  general.  When 
urged  to  go  to  their  homes,  their  reply  that  they 
had  no  longer  any  homes,  capped  the  climax,  and, 
fearing  criticism  of  any  harsh  treatment,  the  magis- 
trates were  most  eager  to  be  rid  of  the  matter  on 
any  excuse  to  themselves.  Without  realizing  it,  as 
the  nerves  of  the  women  were  strained  to  the  break- 
ing point,  they  certainly  affected  the  nerves  of  the 
men,  and  when  the  judges  dismissed  them,  finally, 
from  sheer  desperation,  even  the  men  of  the  com- 
pany being  included,  it  would  have  been  hard  to 
say  which  parted  from  the  other  with  most  pleasure. 

That  day's  experience,  in  all  its  misery,  however, 


30  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

advertised  them  in  an  unimagined  way,  for,  though 
they  only  desired  an  inconspicuous  and  quiet  life, 
the  story  of  their  wanderings  and  hardships  was 
soon  talked  of  and  many  came  to  hear  of  them  and 
consider  their  cause  with  interest  and  sympathy, 
and,  indeed,  led  to  their  making  new  friends  and 
gaining  help  later  on.  Nevertheless,  their  weariness 
was  far  from  over,  and,  throughout  that  spring, 
Brewster  and  Robinson,  in  the  face  of  other  disap- 
pointments and  difficulties,  used  their  final  resources 
to  get  the  women  and  children  and  themselves  out 
of  their  net  of  trouble. 

Yet  in  the  end  their  dauntless  efforts  were  suc- 
cessful. Their  own  historian  tells  us  that,  notwith- 
standing, they  all  got  away  after  a  time  and  "met 
together  again  according  to  their  desires,  with  no 
small  rejoicing." 


This  happy  place  of  meeting  and  rejoicing  was 
Amsterdam,  the  city  of  their  intentions  when  plan- 
ning to  leave  England.  The  comparing  of  adven- 
tures since  they  had  been  swept  apart  by  the  tumul- 
tuous circumstances  of  their  departure  must  indeed 
have  been  a  refreshment  to  their  minds  as  the  safe 
arrival  at  their  destination  gave  rest  to  their  bodies. 

The  anticipated  welcome  of  the  English  people, 
who  had  already  settled  in  the  city  and  had  churches 
for  worship  according  to  their  several  ideals,  was 
cordial  and  sympathetic.  We  may  be  sure  that  the 
women  of  the  longer  residence  were  only  too  happy 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  31 

to  show  and  tell  of  this  wonderful  city,  to  the  new- 
comers, and  that  the  women  in  whom  we  are  espe- 
cially interested  would  have  been  glad  indeed  that 
such  guides  and  advisors  should  have  been  there  to 
help  them  assimilate  the  countless  new  impressions 
which  were  next  in  the  path  of  their  experience. 
"While  each  old  friend  or  comparatively  new 
acquaintance  who  had  been  of  their  original  party 
at  home,  must  have  grown  doubly  dear  by  similar 
situation  in  the  surrounding  strangeness  of  this  new 
world  with  all  its  marvels  and  perplexities.  The 
contrast  between  the  quiet  existence  they  had  led  so 
long  and  the  bustling,  colorful  life  into  which  they 
were  plunged,  might  well  have  dazed  them  for  a 
time  had  not  a  certain  sort  of  commotion  and 
change  attended  them,  in  the  interval,  and  been  an 
unforseen  preparation  for  steadiness  in  any  con- 
fusion of  circumstance. 

We  may  picture  Mary  Brewster,  an  example  of 
their  steadfast  purpose,  meeting  the  new  and  trying 
conditions  of  poverty,  a  new  language  and  different 
modes  of  living  in  calm  cheerfulness.  Love  and  loy- 
alty to  the  men  of  their  families  would  actuate  every 
woman  to  do  her  best  in  making  the  homes  these  same 
men  had  now  to  struggle  to  provide.  Mutual  under- 
standing and  common  interests  were  great  factors 
in  smoothing  the  rough  places.  These  men,  now  or 
afterwards,  never  thought  of  going  first  as  pioneers 
to  provide  a  home  for  their  wives  and  sisters  to 
come  to ;  they  well  knew  that  the  women  were  the 
ones  to  make  the  homes  for  them.  It  was  such  a 


32  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

matter  of  course  that  the  question  seems  never  to 
have  arisen,  likewise  never  commented  on;  one  of 
the  reasons  why  we  encounter  such  a  scarcity  of 
details  that  we  would  gladly  read  in  their  records. 

At  this  time  even  the  names  of  the  women  seem 
hidden  as  by  the  very  secrecy  of  their  journeyings. 
Later  the  mist  clears  for  us  somewhat.  Only  the 
figures  of  Mary  Brewster  and  her  young  daughters, 
Fear  and  Patience,  Mrs.  Robinson,  the  pastor's  wife, 
and  her  daughters  are  comparatively  clearly  out- 
lined in  the  picture  we  try  to  see  just  here. 

Nevertheless,  it  was  because  of  a  woman  and  her 
clothes,  especially  a  velvet  hood,  that  was  a  prime 
cause  of  their  moving  from  this  scarcely  established 
home;  even  as  the  long  shadow  of  a  woman  had  al- 
ready fallen  indirectly  upon  them  in  their  original 
home  and  ultimately  made  for  their  departure 
thence. 

Let  us  seem  to  be  standing  on  the  banks  of  a  canal 
of  Amsterdam.  It  is  a  brilliant  winter  afternoon 
and  the  scene  is  animated  and  full  of  color,  for  skat- 
ers are  flying  over  the  ice  and  spectators  are  watch- 
ing them  or  walking  about.  Here  is  a  group  of 
women,  there  are  one  or  two  whom  we  recognize, 
at  least,  having  seen  them  in  England.  The  wife 
of  the  pastor  of  the  Separatist  Church  which  is 
seeking  a  home,  Mrs.  Robinson,  and  the  wife  of  the 
leader  of  his  congregation,  Mrs.  Brewster,  with  them 
a  lady  much  more  elaborately  dressed  than  either  of 
them,  the  wife  of  the  pastor  of  the  Separatist  Church 
already  established  in  Amsterdam,  Mrs.  Johnson.  We 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  33 

feel  quite  sure  it  is  she,  for  what  is  the  advantage  of 
having  fine  clothes  if  one  may  not  wear  them  where 
many  can  see,  on  a  gay  afternoon  in  a  big  city  espe- 
cially, and  has  it  not  been  a  matter  of  indifference 
to  her  what  comments  are  made  or  how  nearly  her 
husband's  church  is  rent  asunder?  These  new 
friends  are  a  pleasure  to  her  since  they  do  not  criti- 
cize but  only  admire  her  appearance.  Their 
attitude,  if  reflected  from  the  male  members  of  their 
party  is  that  the  style  of  woman's  costume  is  a 
detail,  and  may  be  according  to  her  station,  the  one 
point  being  that  it  should  be  paid  for. 

Mrs.  Johnson  is  probably  giving  her  point  of  view 
of  the  matter  and  an  opinion  of  her  brother-in-law, 
in  the  controversy,  which  is  a  matter  of  record. 
Meanwhile,  the  eyes  of  the  mothers  see  the  bright 
faces  of  their  children,  and  their  voices  come  to 
them  from  the  ice.  John  and  Jonathan  are  being 
called  to  by  a  number  of  girls  as  they  start  to  race 
to  a  goal. 

The  girls  have  some  of  their  new  friends  with 
them,  fair  English  roses  like  themselves,  all  for  the 
present  blooming  together  in  this  country  of  tulips 
—  Bridget  and  Mercy  Robinson,  Fear  and  Patience 
Brewster,  Jacquelin  and  Dorothy  May,  the  latter, 
daughters  of  the  elder  of  Mr.  Johnson's  church. 
Dorothy  and  Patience,  lighthearted  children,  never 
giving  thought  to  the  web  Fate  is  weaving  for  them. 
Soon  to  part,  after  a  brief  acquaintance,  but  to 
renew  it  in  a  few  years,  because  Dorothy  is  a  mag- 
net to  draw  back  to  Amsterdam  the  grave  young 


34  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

man  so  frequently  seen  with  her  father  and  Mr. 
Brewster,  at  this  time,  and  will  herself  leave  her 
home  there  to  join  these  friends  again.  And 
Patience  is  to  become  the  wife  of  a  man  of  promi- 
nence and  influence  just  as  her  mother  had  done. 
These  are  future  visions  indeed,  yet  these  two  girls, 
as  they  stand  side  by  side,  are  the  presentment  of 
the  women  (though  ship  and  Colony  were  then  un- 
dreamed of)  causing  the  special  designation  in  the 
title  of  this  story. 

Therefore  because  of  the  turmoil  regarding  Mrs. 
Johnson's  apparel  and  other  matters  affecting  the 
congregation,  John  Robinson  and  William  Brewster 
thought  it  wiser  to  remove  their  people  from  such 
ensuing  contentions,  notwithstanding  it  would  entail 
the  search  for  new  employments  and  cause  some 
more  expense. 

It  was  ever  the  Sword  of  the  Spirit  —  the  spirit 
of  self -sacrifice,  "  whatsoever  it  should  cost  them," 
to  attain  their  cherished  object,  democratic  religious 
and  civil  government,  that  led  them  onward,  step 
by  step,  to  the  victory  which  was  to  be  theirs. 

This  change  of  surroundings  was  accomplished 
with  much  less  stress  and  strain  than  their  former 
one.  Their  new  companions  in  Amsterdam  were 
sorry  to  have  them  go ;  while  a  welcome  from  strang- 
ers awaited  them  in  the  city  of  their  choice. 


UNDER  THE  LINDENS  OF  LEYDEN. 


UNDER  THE  LINDENS  OF  LEYDEN. 

THE  CHIMES  from  the  spire  of  the  State  House 
rang  out  an  evening  hour.  There  seemed  no  unusual 
portent  in  this  daily  custom  to  the  ear  of  workers 
in  the  busy  city  turning  homewards  at  close  of  day. 
Yet  in  that  hour  on  that  calm  evening  of  early 
summer,  history  was  being  made  for  that  city,  and 
to  its  honored  name  was  added  an  interest  for  thous- 
ands of  a  future  day  by  the  seemingly  unimportant 
event  then  taking  place. 

A  large  canal  boat,  one  of  the  many  that  plied 
between  Amsterdam  and  Leyden,  was  nearing  its 
mooring  at  the  close  of  the  day's  trip  and  a  number 
of  persons  were  on  the  quay  apparently  awaiting 
its  arrival.  The  boat  was  heavily  ladened  with 
freight  and  passengers,  the  household  belongings 
and  persons  of  a  number  of  families.  If  some  of  the 
members  looked  a  trifle  anxious,  all  seemed  happy 
and  still  interested  in  all  to  be  viewed  at  the  end  of 
a  pleasant  journey  that  had  been  full  of  new  sights 
for  the  majority.  A  pleasanter  voyage  than  many 
had  experienced  within  the  year,  and  with  much 
uncertainty  and  strangeness  eliminated  from  this 
landing  at  Leyden  which  had  harassed  their  arrival 
at  Amsterdam;  for  these  are  the  pilgrims  from  Eng- 
land, to  whom  the  authorities  of  this  city  had  re- 
cently given  permission  for  residence,  in  reply  to 


38  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

a  petition  sent  in  their  behalf  from  Amsterdam,  by 
their  pastor,  John  Robinson. 

The  English  were  already  well  known  in  Leydeii 
and  some  of  this  party  had  been  there  to  rent  houses 
and  survey  the  prospect.  More  than  casual  glances 
were  given  these  new  arrivals,  for,  though  evidently 
poor  people  and  certainly,  as  yet,  unknown,  their 
appearance  was  distinguished  even  in  their  plain 
clothes  of  English  fashion,  different  to  the  gay  ap- 
parel of  the  natives. 

The  accounts  of  this  beginning  of  their  sojourn 
in  a  new  locality  are  somewhat  meagre,  nevertheless 
they  furnish  ground  for  speculation  and  conclusions 
not  unjustified.  Our  interest  follows  the  women  we 
already  know  and  others  whom  we  are  soon  to  know, 
as  they  once  more  endeavor  to  solve  the  problems 
of  home-keeping  with  slender  resources,  their  char- 
acteristics of  patience  and  courage  again  to  the  test. 
An  admonition  surely  given  by  their  beloved  pastor 
must  have  dwelt  in  their  thoughts  to  "stand  fast 
in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind  striving  together  .  .  . 
and  in  nothing  terrified." 

The  advantages  of  living  in  a  prosperous,  pro- 
gressive and  highly  civilized  city  were  not  long  in 
being  realized  by  these  women.  Though,  at  first, 
their  homes  were  in  the  poorer  part  of  the  city,  their 
industry  and  energy  supplementing  that  of  the  men, 
who  soon  found  plenty  of  employment  in  the  trades 
of  the  city,  particularly  the  cloth  and  silk  weaving, 
enabled  them  to  live  fairly  comfortably.  The  mar- 
kets of  fish  and  vegetables  saw  them  as  daily 


39 


customers,  and  even  the  flower  market  found  them 
as  occasional  visitors  to  delight  the  children  as  well 
as  themselves.  The  public  schools  gave  to  many  of 
the  children  more  of  an  education  than  their  mothers 
had  had ;  this  opportunity  for  free  knowledge,  as 
well  as  the  hospitals,  homes  for  the  aged,  orphan 
asylums,  were  some  of  the  marvels  of  this  new  life. 
Books  and  pictures  were  so  moderate  in  price  as  to 
be  available  for  all. 

The  contrasts  between  the  conditions  which  tend- 
ed towards  the  benefit  and  advancement  of  the  plain 
people  in  their  present  home  and  those  which  were 
only  for  the  benefit  of  the  wealthy  and  aristocratic 
class  in  their  old  home  were  as  easily  seen  by  his 
companions  now  as  they  had  been  by  William 
Brewster  years  before. 

The  objects  above  all  the  planning  for  the  routine1 
of  practical  life  were  that  they  might  have  food  and 
comfort,  peace  and  quiet  to  worship  God. 

They  were  not  without  news  of  England,  for  their 
community  was  constantly  increased  by  new  arriv- 
als, who,  hearing  of  the  success  of  their  venture, 
came  to  try  the  experiment  themselves;  some 
remaining  as  true  friends  and  burden  sharers,  oth- 
ers returning. 

Scarcely  three  years  passed  before  the  women 
had  the  joy  of  moving  into  attractive  newly  built 
cottages  on  a  piece  of  ground  in  a  very  desirable 
location  for  their  needs,  bought  by  several  of  the 
men  for  all  in  common.  All  were  now  in  good  cir- 
cumstances retained  by  continual  labor,  however. 


40  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

The  nearness  of  the  famous  University  was  a  satis- 
faction to  the  many  intellectual  men  of  the  party, 
both  to  enter  as  students  or  to  read  in  its  library. 

That  the  content  of  the  men  was  reflected  by  the 
women  is  without  doubt,  for  if  the  men  in  a  family 
are  fairly  happy  it  is  easy  for  the  women  to  be  so, 
and,  on  their  own  account  they  had  reason  to  be 
lighthearted.  Their  cosy  little  houses  were  built  at 
the  sides  of  the  piece  of  property,  the  center  becom- 
ing a  small  park  or  community  garden  with  sanded 
walks,  flower  bordered.  The  pastor's  house,  at  one 
end,  was  the  largest  and  finest,  for  in  it  the  Sunday 
services  and  three  teaching  services  or  lectures  were 
held,  as  they  had  been  held  in  the  old  manor  house 
in  Scrooby. 

Besides  their  two  indefatigable  and  honored  lead- 
ers, the  pastor  and  "William  Brewster,  now  an  elder 
in  their  Church,  the  community  was  fortunate  in 
having  among  them  the  young  doctor,  a  widower, 
whose  home  was  kept  by  his  sister,  Anna.  Her  self- 
reliant,  decisive  character  must  have  been  highly 
sympathetic  and  congenial  to  her  brother.  The  life 
of  Anna  Fuller  is  one  of  those  most  discernable  to 
us  in  that  coterie  of  women,  after  the  lapse  of  the 
long  years.  Tactful  and  clever  she  was,  and  a  fav- 
orite with  all.  Between  her  and  Mary  Brewster 
there  grew  a  warm  attachment. 

A  friend  to  them  both  and  to  many  others,  was 
Katherine  Carver  (the  wife  of  John  Carver,  a 
prominent  and  valued  man  of  their  company)  whose 
lovely  character  endeared  her  to  them,  but  whose 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  41 

chief  interest  in  life  was  her  husband  and  what  con- 
cerned him. 

Ann  Tilly  and  the  wife  of  James  Chilton  added  to 
the  group  of  these  young  matrons  who  enjoyed  their 
quiet  but  not  altogether  uneventful  lives  in  mutual 
sympathy  and  esteem.  We  must  admire  the  smooth- 
ness with  which  they  managed  their  affairs,  taking 
into  consideration  the  varying  temperaments  among 
them;  tact  and  unselfishness,  wisdom  and  charitable- 
ness must  indeed  have  been  taught  them  by  "the 
grave  Mistress  Experience,"  and  not  only  among 
themselves  was  it  observable,  but  also  with  their 
new,  interested  and  friendly  neighbors,  the  women 
of  that  Dutch  city,  through  whom  they  became  ac- 
quainted with  its  manners  and  customs  and  to  feel 
quite  familiar  with  them.  Their  children  and  the 
Dutch  children  soon  became  friends  and  through 
them  the  mothers  of  each  began  their  knowledge  of 
one  another,  to  their  mutual  advantage.  We  know 
the  pride  of  the  native  women  in  their  city  and  how 
ready  and  willing  they  were  to  show  its  sights  and 
relate  its  history  to  these  interested  strangers. 

Thus  we  can  easily  fancy  a  party  coming  along 
Belfry  Lane  and  through  other  streets  on  their  way 
to  visit  the  Burg,  a  promised  treat  to  the  children 
and  desired  by  their  elders.  Ann  Tilly  is  taking  the 
children  of  her  household  —  two  little  cousins  and  a 
niece  —  having  none  of  her  own,  whom  she  has  moth 
ered.  Mistress  Chilton  has  with  her,  her  daughter; 
Mary  Brewster  and  her  two  daughters  walk  with 
Katherine  Carver;  Anna  Fuller  and  the  Carpenter 


42  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

girls  —  one  soon  to  be  her  sister-in-law  —  and  one 
or  two  boys,  a  lively  party,  all  accompanied  by  some 
Dutch  friends  as  guides. 

Leyden  was  at  that  time  full  of  reminders  of  the 
war  with  Spain,  its  part  of  it  having  been  the  great 
siege.  Up  on  the  Burg  the  country  for  miles  around 
lies  before  them,  and  as  they  look,  the  story  is  told 
and  they  try  to  picture  just  where  and  how  the  bat- 
tle was  fought.  Doubtless  some  old  soldier  was  on 
the  Burg,  that  bright  afternoon,  living  for  himself 
again  that  time  of  suffering  and  valor,  and  glad  to 
recount  many  of  the  details  and  describe  where  had 
been  a  particular  Spanish  redoubt,  or  just  where 
such  a  regiment  had  been  stationed,  or  the  location 
of  a  General's  headquarters. 

We  of  days  far  from  theirs  are  yet  joined  to  their 
experiences  of  that  afternoon  of  our  fancy  if  we 
have  chanced  on  a  similar  recital  from  one  who  had 
participated  in  another  war  with  Spain  in  a  very 
different  country  and  setting,  a  war  in  which  the 
descendants  of  some  of  these  women  had  a  part. 
From  the  wall  of  an  old  Spanish  castle  near  Manila, 
a  party  of  women,  one  of  them  the  present  writer, 
looked  over  the  surrounding  plain  on  an  afternoon 
not  many  years  ago,  while  the  then  American  owner, 
their  host,  related  just  such  details  and  anecdotes 
of  the  Philippine  incident  in  the  war  with  Spain, 
already  some  years  in  the  past ;  there  was  a  battery 
of  the  United  States  regulars;  the  insurgents  came 
in  here;  a  far  glimpse  of  the  sunlit  harbor  showed 
where  Dewey's  ships  lay;  and  so  on.  By  such  a 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  43 

touch   does  a  string  on  the   harp   of  life  sing   on 
through  the  centuries. 

Coming  home,  they  would  visit  the  City  Hall, 
where  were  then  kept  many  mementos  and  relics  of 
victory  upon  which  they  could  look  with  wondering 
earnestness,  feeling  as  we  when  today  viewing  ob- 
jects closely  connected  with  the  World  War,  so  re- 
cently in  our  thoughts. 


The  blossoms  of  the  lindens  fell  over  the  grey  wall 
enclosing  the  old  cloister  wherein  the  veiled  nuns 
had  walked,  fell  over  into  another  garden  and 
around  other  women  of  whom  the  cloistered  nuns 
had  never  heard,  and  to  whom  they  were  but  a 
name;  lives  in  deepest  contrast,  lived  in  neighboring 
environment  yet  divided  by  a  grey  stone  wall  and 
many  years. 

At  a  well  by  the  old  wall  several  young  women 
have  gathered,  some  to  get  water  for  their  household 
use,  others  to  meet  them  there  for  a  gossip  —  for 
even  in  the  little  colony  of  English  Separatists  liv- 
ing so  quietly  on  their  own  ground,  itself  almost  a 
cloister,  in  the  gay  city  of  Leyden  there  was,  of 
course,  gossip  in  its  friendly  and  sociable  meaning. 
But  chat  between  the  women  only  is  interrupted, 
and  apparently  to  their  amusement,  by  small  boys 
and  girls  all  eagerness  at  a  tale  one  of  their  number 
is  telling  of  an  exciting  event  in  their  school  life 
that  day;  no  less  than  the  story  of  how  the  Prince's 
ball  fell  into  the  canal  and  he  took  the  boat  hook 


44  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

belonging  to  an  old  woman  who  lived  near,  never 
thinking  she  would  object,  and  fished  the  ball  safely 
out.  A  tale  with  an  apparently  happy  ending,  but 
not  so,  the  old  woman  mistaking  Prince  Frederick 
for  just  an  everyday  boy  scolded  him  well,  and  when 
some  one  called  out  that  it  was  the  Prince  who  had 
borrowed  her  boat  hook,  she  was  so  overcome  and 
frightened  that  she  ran  in  her  house  and  they  could 
not  coax  her  out,  for  she  said  they  would  take  her 
to  prison. 

Smiles  fade  as  a  shadow  of  remembrance  crosses 
the  minds  of  some  of  the  listeners  at  prison  expe- 
riences they  have  known,  and  perhaps  a  thought  of 
contrast  that  here,  in  this  democratic  land,  their 
children  have  as  playmate  a  prince  of  the  blood, 
while  in  their  own  country  they  might  scarcely  ever 
have  seen  one.  A  few  of  the  young  men  have  wan- 
dered towards  the  well,  since  evening  is  advancing 
and  their  day's  employments  are  over;  here  are 
Edward  South  worth,  William  Bradford,  Robert 
Cushman,  William  White, —  and,  severally,  Alice 
Carpenter,  Mary  Singleton  and  Anna  Fuller  may 
no  longer  be  monopolized  by  the  children,  while 
Patience  Brewster  is  glad  to  hear  of  her  friend  in 
Amsterdam,  Dorothy  May,  from  William  Bradford, 
who  visits  Elder  May  rather  frequently. 

In  fact,  news  from  Amsterdam  was  quite  regu- 
larly brought  by  visitors  as  well  as  by  those  of  their 
own  company  returning,  since  seeds  of  romance 
sown  in  the  early  days  of  their  sojourn  were  bearing 
fruit,  and  engagements  were  so  frequent  that  one 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  45 

was  scarcely  talked  of  before  another  came  up  for 
consideration. 

Thus  it  was  not  surprising  to  see  Samuel  Fuller 
leaning  across  the  half  door  of  the  Carpenter's  cot- 
tage, while  Agnes,  presumably  waiting  for  Alice  to 
return  from  the  well,  on  the  other  side  of  the  door, 
smiled  at  him.  Not  unlikely  that  Edward  South- 
worth  and  the  doctor  will  both  be  asked  to  supper, 
for  the  Carpenter  household,  with  five  gay,  pretty 
girls  in  it  was  not  a  dull  one.  One  of  the  house- 
holds soonest  to  break  away,  however,  from  the 
present  surroundings;  after  three  of  his  daughters 
married,  Alexander  Carpenter  moved  the  rest  of 
his  family  to  his  old  home  in  England.  Anna  Fuller 
noticing  her  brother's  absorption  and  knowing  from 
rather  frequent  experience  that  he  may  forget  about 
the  supper  she  will  provide  for  him,  decides  on 
spending  the  evening  away  from  home,  herself.  To 
her  neighbor  and  special  friend,  Mary  Allerton,  she 
will  be  a  gladly  welcomed  guest  —  she  who,  a  year 
ago  was  Mary  Norris,  and  for  whom  Anna  had  been 
a  witness  at  her  marriage  to  Isaac  Allerton.  Sarah, 
Isaac's  sister,  who  lived  with  them,  was  good  com- 
pany also,  and  if  Degory  Priest  should  happen  by, 
as  was  more  than  likely,  to  walk  with  Sarah  to  the 
weekly  lecture  at  Pastor  Robinson's  and  if  William 
White  should  come  too,  still  less  unlikely,  she  would 
tell  him  that-1- "yes  she  would  marry  him,  when 
Samuel  married  Agnes  Carpenter  and  was  off  her 
hands  and  mind." 

In  this  group  of  pilgrims  there  were  many  young 


46  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

men  and  girls,  therefore  many  were  the  love  tales 
told  under  the  lindens  and  marriages  frequent 
during  their  sojourn. 

The  Botanical  Gardens  at  Leyden,  one  of  the 
city's  proud  possessions,  must  have  held  the  usual 
charm  for  walks  of  sweethearts  and  wives  and  the 
men  of  their  choice  on  a  Sunday  afternoon  that 
seems  to  be  evident  everywhere  there  are  Gardens, 
in  any  era  and  place,  from  Edinburgh  to  Hong 
Kong. 

The  annual  Kermiss  also  witnessed  many  visitors 
from  among  these  strangers,  and  the  other  holidays 
and  sports  came  in  time  to  be  almost  as  familiar  and 
enjoyable  as  though  known  in  their  own  country. 

Good  health  and  fairly  comfortable  living  made 
comparatively  light  hearts,  among  the  younger  set 
especially. 

We  are  glad  to  picture  these  years  of  their  life 
in  Leyden  when  their  industry  and  thrift  brought 
them  to  pleasant  days  of  living,  and  the  cheerfulness 
and  peace  of  their  little  community  attracted  visit- 
ors and  favorable  comments.  These  days  were 
lighted  by  hope,  a  hope  that  they  might  through 
some  fortunate  possibility  be  able  to  return  to  their 
beloved  England  and  live  in  the  unmolested  peace 
and  independence  there  which  they  had  found  here. 

Prosperity  again  found  Mary  Brewster,  for  her 
husband  becoming  a  much  respected  teacher  of 
languages  in  the  University,  was  soon  able  to  win 
a  comfortable  and  adequate  living  for  his  family, 
and,  as  always,  the  Brewsters  were  ever  ready  with 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  47 

sympathy  and  help  to  those  less  well  off  than  they; 
indeed  one  of  the  chief  supports  in  this  thoroughly 
religious  body  of  people  was  their  convention  of 
mutual  help  and  friendliness. 

Mary,  as  well  as  her  husband,  was  always  avail- 
able as  the  confidant  of  their  neighbors,  therefore  a 
frequent  witness  for  the  young  couples  who  went 
to  the  State  House,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
country,  to  declare  their  intentions  of  marriage,  and 
we  feel  sure  the  interest  did  not  stop  there,  and  that 
she  and  her  daughters  helped  with  the  simple  fes- 
tivities connected  with  these  marriages.  A  member 
of  the  University  was  exempt  from  tax  on  home- 
made wines  and  brew,  and  as  both  were  common 
beverages  at  that  time,  and  made  in  all  households, 
her  wine  and  cooking  receipts  must  have  been  fre- 
quently used. 

While  the  history  of  these  Pilgrims  may  be  told, 
and  has  been,  with  casual  if  any  reference  to  the 
women,  the  story  of  the  women  must  hinge  on 
reference  to  the  whole  Pilgrim  story.  Looking  at 
them  from  our  position,  down  the  long  vista,  seeing 
the  background  of  which  they  were  hardly  conscious, 
the  foreground  invisible  to  them,  their  reality  and 
aliveness  should  be  vividly  lighted  by  all  the  colors 
of  romance  which  only  distance  may  give  and  we 
should  be  able  to  get  the  feeling  that  things  had  for 
them,  at  least.  A  few  plain,  loyal,  trustful  women 
living  their  daily  lives  with  no  dream  of  a  place  in 
history,  yet  on  whom  else  may  we  look  entitled  to  a 
softer,  more  caressing  glow  from  the  flame  of  fame? 


48  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

Julianna  Carpenter,  the  eldest  sister,  married 
George  Morton,  before  the  lindens  bloomed  again, 
followed  soon  by  the  marriages  of  Agnes  to  the  wise 
and  popular  young  doctor,  the  doctor's  sister  to 
William  White,  as  she  had  said,  and  the  lively  young 
widow,  Sarah,  sister  of  Isaac  Allerton,  to  Degory 
Priest.  Their  mutual  satisfaction  and  happiness 
was  punctured  by  the  shock  of  the  sudden  death 
of  one  of  their  number,  Agnes  Fuller;  the  whole 
community  was  stirred  by  the  fact  that  so  unexpect- 
edly, the  doctor  was  again  a  widower.  Thus  their 
recurring  measure  of  joy  and  sorrow,  pleasure  and 
trouble,  success  and  endeavor. 

We  may  well  hope  that,  in  the  fullness  of  time, 
our  days  may  be  looked  upon  with  the  same  search- 
light of  sympathy  and  understanding  which  we  turn 
upon  theirs. 

Another  year  more  wedded  couples  were  added 
to  the  list — it  was  a  sign  of  their  hopefulness  that 
marriage  among  them  was  encouraged  and  the  re- 
marriage of  the  widowed  favored.  Alice  Carpenter 
married  Edward  Southworth  and  William  Bradford 
brought  his  bride  from  Amsterdam,  Dorothy  May. 
It  was  in  the  late  autumn  that  she  came  to 
Leyden  to  renew  some  childhood's  friendships.  The 
marriage  of  another  friend  of  Alice  South- 
worth  occurred  at  a  slightly  later  date  when 
Robert  Cushman  married  Mary  Singleton.  So 
these  younger  and  important  men  of  the  settlement 
took  on  new  responsibilities,  and  after  a  while  Dr. 
Fuller  tried  a  third  time  and  found  with  Bridget 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony     i*r  49 

Lee    a    more    permanent    happiness    in    matrimony. 

The  very  little  girls,  as  the  years  passed,  were 
replaced  by  others,  while  they  grew  into  the  places 
of  maidenhood  left  vacant  by  the  younger  matrons. 
Thus  Mary  Chilton,  Bridget  Robinson,  Priscilla 
Mullins,  Patience  and  Fear  Brewster,  Desire  Minter, 
Humility  Cooper,  formed  a  lively  group  in  which 
Elizabeth  Tilly  and  Mercy  Robinson  claimed 
membership  though  somewhat  younger. 

The  famous  storks  of  Holland  were  good  enough 
to  bring  many  rosy  babies  to  the  little  homes  of 
this  English  colony,  so  the  joy  and  amusement  of 
babyhood  was  never  lacking. 

Into  this  little  world  a  passing  traveller  entered, 
a  young  man  of  some  wealth  and  position  in  Eng- 
land, who  having  heard  of  the  community,  thought 
to  look  upon  it  as  of  transient  interest,  and  desiring 
to  meet  William  Brewster,  John  Robinson  and 
others  whose  writings  printed  by  their  own  estab- 
lished press  were  attracting  attention.  In  truth 
he  was  more  interested  in  the  printing  press  than 
the  writings,  being  reputed  himself  a  printer,  and 
as  a  worker  in  one  art  or  trade  or  profession  desires 
to  see  the  results  or  products  of  another  in  that 
same  class,  Edward  Winslow  entered  the  life  of  the 
Brewsters,  the  Robinsons,  the  Allertons,  the  Brad- 
fords,  but  most  particularly  into  the  life  of  Eliza- 
beth Barker,  and  since  it  was  her  world  it  became 
his,  too,  henceforth.  Almost  the  last  romance  of 
these  peaceful  years  witnessed  by  the  lindens  and 
the  old  grey  wall. 


50  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

Soon  thereafter  a  rift  became  apparent  in  the 
harmony  of  existence  in  the  garden  colony  and  it 
was  Mary  Brewster  who  heard  it  first.  Again  she 
experienced  the  haunting  anxiety  on  her  husband's 
account,  which  she  well  knew  of  old,  and  from  the 
same  source  —  persecution  by  the  royal  authorities 
in  England  and  their  representatives  in  Holland. 
The  cause  was  the  printing  press  and  the  sentiments 
it  set  forth.  The  hunt  for  the  unknown  though 
suspected  printer  at  that  time  is  an  entertaining 
story  told  by  various  chroniclers  of  the  history  of 
these  people  and  reminds  one  of  the  somewhat 
similar  search  for  the  hidden  printer  of  our  modern 
times  who  issued  the  prescribed  little  Belgian  news- 
paper during  the  occupation  of  that  country  by  the 
Germans. 

Suddenly  in  addition  to  this  personal  touch  of 
unrest  came  a  focus  in  the  national  affairs  of  their 
adopted  country,  which  centered  in  Leyden,  and 
while  of  great  interest  to  them,  as  such  matters  have 
been,  and  are,  to  us,  are  always  bound  to  increase 
uncertainty  and  instability  of  daily  concerns. 

The  scope  of  the  present  work  is  not  to  dwell  on 
the  general  events  of  history,  but  only  as  their 
effects  touched  the  lives  of  the  women  of  our  story. 
Gradually  it  had  come  to  be  recognized,  also,  that 
the  younger  generation  among  them  was  fast  be- 
coming more  Dutch  than  English,  as  was  natural 
from  environment.  And  since  their  object  had 
never  been  other  than  to  remain  English  people  and 
to  send  the  enlightening  word  of  their  religious 


51 


freedom  and  church's  independence  back  to  their 
own  people,  now  that  the  advantage  of  their  print- 
ing press  was  about  to  be  denied  them  this  advance- 
ment was  at  an  end. 

These  subjects  for  reflection  and  others  equally- 
compelling  brought  them  to  a  point  in  their  destiny 
for  which  Providence  in  the  preceding  years  had 
been  preparing  them  by  the  variation  of  their  expe- 
rience, the  widening  of  their  horizons,  the  increasing 
knowledge  of  humanity  and  capacity  for  labor  and 
economy  which  came  as  assets  of  their  exile  from 
home  in  a  land  of  comparative  freedom. 

The  women  had  as  much  opportunity  for  facing 
these  questions  and  facts  and  discussing  them  among 
themselves  as  the  men,  and  the  possibility  of  giving 
up  all  that  they  had  won  for  the  sake  of  their 
faith  and  ideals  loomed  as  evident  before  them  as 
to  those  upon  whom  they  not  only  depended  but 
supported  by  their  love  and  loyalty. 

Thus  prior  to  the  all-important  conference  called 
at  Pastor  Robinson's  house,  many  of  them  had  set 
to  withdraw  their  thoughts  from  the  comparative 
ease  and  prosperity  of  the  past  ten  years,  and  drill 
their  minds  to  becoming  again  way-farers  and 
makers  of  new  homes  elsewhere.  Where  else,  in- 
deed? Many  suggestions  were  made  before  the 
answer  was  determined.  "When  it  became  definitely 
known  to  the  city  authorities  that  these  peaceful, 
industrious  and  altogether  desirable  inhabitants 
were  thinking  of  severing  their  connection  with 
them,  they  announced  their  regret  publicly  in 


52  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

complimentary  terms.  Also  an  offer  was  made  that 
these  would-be  pioneers  continue  under  the  flag  of 
the  Netherlands  as  colonists.  But  it  was  their  own 
flag,  their  own  nationality  for  which  they  were  about 
to  sacrifice  much  and  for  which  they  stood  ready 
to  endure  more  in  the  future. 

At  the  assembly  at  John  Robinson's  house  where 
the  congregation  met  for  final  decision,  it  was  re- 
solved that  if  the  vote  showed  a  majority  in  favor 
of  remaining  a  while  longer,  the  Pastor  should 
remain  with  them,  and  for  those  who  wished  to 
emigrate  immediately,  William  Brewster,  their 
Elder,  should  be  their  spiritual  leader,  while  await- 
ing the  coming  of  the  rest. 

In  regard  to  this  vote,  one  writer  has  said,  "It 
cannot  be  known  whether  or  not  the  women  of  the 
church  had  a  vote  in  the  matter.  Presumably  they 
did  not,  for  the  primitive  church  gave  good  heed 
to  the  words  of  Paul,  'Let  your  women  keep  silence 
in  the  churches.'  Neither  can  it  be  known  —  if 
they  had  a  voice  —  whether  the  wives  and  daugh- 
ters of  some  of  the  embarking  Pilgrims,  who  did  not 
go  themselves  at  this  time,  voted  with  their  husbands 
and  fathers  for  removal."  If  this  exactness  is  lack- 
ing, we  may  feel  a  certain  knowledge  that  each 
woman  was  aware  of  how  the  vote  which  affected 
her  and  hers  would  be  cast.  One  is  somehow  re- 
minded of  the  old  story,  though  of  modern  times, 
of  a  certain  pastor  receiving  a  call  to  a  larger  field 
of  usefulness  who  retired  to  seek  Divine  guidance. 
During  this  time  a  member  of  the  congregation 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  53 

called  for  information  on  the  subject.  The  pastor's 
little  daughter  received  the  visitor,  and  in  reply  to 
the  important  question  said,  ' '  I  can 't  say  exactly  — 
Father  is  praying  but  Mother  is  packing." 

During  the  time  between  the  actual  decision  and 
final  satisfactory  arrangements  for  departure  —  we 
can  fancy  the  women's  days  being  particularly 
trying.  Breaking  up  homes  —  deciding  what  would 
be  needed  most  in  the  unknown  land  and  in  the 
restricted  space  alloted  to  each  one's  belongings 
on  a  small  ship.  Cooking  and  table  utensils  were 
commonly  of  pewter  and  wood  —  so  anxiety  of 
modern  movings  regarding  breakage  was  lessened  — 
books,  clothing  and  furniture  required  the  same 
attention  as  we  experience  in  packing.  And  looking- 
glasses!  Mrs.  Robinson's  sister,  Jane  White,  had 
married  soon  after  their  arrival  in  Leyden,  Ran- 
dolph Tickens,  a  manufacturer  of  looking-glasses, 
so  although  the  Tickens  family  were  not  to  go  among 
the  first,  a  looking-glass  or  two  were  certainly  to  be 
found  space  for.  If  they  were  such  as  the  mirror 
of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  though  of  earlier  make, 
and  shown  to  visitors  in  Holyrood  Castle,  they  were 
not  very  desirable  or  useful,  giving  but  a  hazy 
reflection  of  any  one's  good  looks  —  but  they  may 
have  been  satisfactory  when  new. 

The  day  before  the  breaking  up  of  the  community 
came  at  last,  as  all  days  do,  though  seemingly  far 
off  when  first  recognized  as  approaching.  That 
evening  was  spent  by  all,  at  the  Pastor's  house,  at 
supper  and  with  music.  If  verging  on  tragedy  to 


54 


us,  as  on-lookers,  what  must  it  have  been  for  them? 

The  barges  are  moored  at  the  quay  —  near  the 
Nuns  Bridge  —  were  any  of  their  thoughts  flung 
back,  as  ours  are,  to  the  day  of  their  arrival  at  Ley- 
den  eleven  years  before?  This  party  is  large,  as 
many  who  would  return,  for  a  time,  are  going  with 
the  others  to  see  them  depart.  Some  have  already 
gone  and  are  in  England  making  final  arrangements 
—  so  Mary  Brewster,  Katherine  Carver,  and  Mary 
Cushman  are  without  their  husbands  at  present  — 
though  the  sons  of  the  Brewster  and  Cushman 
families  are  at  their  mother's  side  —  while  Kather- 
ine Carver  has  the  unfailing  attention  of  the  tall, 
strong,  young  man,  devoted  to  her  husband's  inter- 
ests, John  Rowland. 

Anna  Fuller  White  (since  her  marriage  called 
more  often  by  her  full  name,  Susanna),  has  her 
husband  and  little  son,  Resolved,  a  fitting  name  for 
the  first  born  of  this  woman.  Her  brother,  the 
doctor,  is  of  the  emigrating  party,  (with  a  young 
assistant),  but  his  wife  and  baby  will  stay  behind. 
The  children  of  some  are  to  go  with  them,  while 
those  of  others  will  remain  with  relatives  —  thus  the 
little  son  of  Dorothy  and  William  Bradford  has 
gone  to  his  grand-parents  at  his  mother's  old  home 
in  Amsterdam.  The  sadness  in  the  eyes  of  some  of 
the  women  as  they  look  back  at  the  fair  and  beauti- 
ful city,  which  has  sheltered  them  so  kindly,  is 
formed  of  regret  that  all  may  not  remain  together 
in  this  departure,  as  well  as  a  sigh  for  the  happy 
years  now  gone. 


THE  FIRE  OF  FAITH. 


The   cradle   that  was  brought   across  the 

sea  for  the  first  New  England  baby. 
May  be  aeen  in  Pilgrim  Hall,   Plymouth. 


THE  FIRE  OF  FAITH. 

As  ONE  GOES  along  the  road  of  remembrance,  some 
readers  as  well  as  the  writer  may  see  before  them 
the  outlines  of  a  ship  at  the  wharf  of,  perhaps,  an 
unfamiliar  city,  towards  which  they  have  travelled 
after  careful  planning  and  arrangements  for  a 
voyage  which  is,  after  all,  to  carry  them  towards 
the  unknown — .  Just  so,  and  with  the  same  feel- 
ings the  eyes  of  the  women  passengers  on  the  canal 
boats  from  Leyden,  looked  upon  the  form  of  the 
"Speedwell",  the  little  ship  on  which  their  thoughts 
and  plans  had  for  some  time  focused,  now  appearing 
before  them  with  all  the  suddenness  of  reality  and 
accomplished  effort.  Those  whose  former  knowledge 
of  ships  had  been  far  from  pleasant,  saw  it  with 
bravely  stiffened  reluctance  or  repugnance,  while 
the  younger  were  in  contrast  as  eager  to  experience 
this  new  thing. 

Some  of  the  girls,  whose  memories,  real  or 
imagined,  could  stretch  back  to  their  coming  from 
England,  almost  as  babies,  were  in  great  favor  and 
admiration  with  those  whose  life  and  experience  had 
been  only  in  Holland.  So  Bartholomew  Allerton 
and  his  little  sisters,  Resolved  White,  John  Cooke, 
Samuel  Fuller  (nephew  and  namesake  of  the  doctor), 
relied  on  the  good  nature  that  would  reply  to  their 
numerous  questionings  of  Humility  Cooper,  Desire 


58  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

Minter,  Mary  Chilton,  Elizabeth  Tilly  and  Priscilla 
Mullins,  for  the  older  boys  were  too  interested  and 
too  busy  in  the  matters  of  moving  the  baggage  and 
the  preparations  on  the  ship  to  give  attention  to 
those  who  had  no  higher  travelling  lineage  than  a 
canal  boat. 

It  was  evening  when  they  arrived  at  Delfshaven 
and  their  ship  could  not  sail  until  morning.  That 
July  night  was  too  full  of  excitement  and  emotion 
for  ordinary  rest,  even  for  many  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town,  who  were  drawn  to  the  wharves  by 
curiosity  and  interest  to  see  this  decidedly  unusual 
party  who  were  to  sail  from  their  port. 

Though  their  old  tower  had  seen  the  sailing  of 
many  a  ship  and  the  farewells  of  countless  friends 
in  its  centuries  of  guardianship  of  the  little  city,  no 
scene  had  ever  been  quite  like  this,  and  curiosity 
turned  quickly  to  sympathy. 

Friends  came  also  from  Amsterdam  to  see  them 
sail,  so  that  an  animated  picture  filled  the  evening 
and  morning  hours.  The  fatigue  of  the  women  was 
forgotten  or  disguised  in  the  sad  enjoyment  of  these 
last  hours  with  the  members  of  their  families  who 
were  not  to  go  with  them. 

Fear  and  Patience  Brewster  see  naught  else  but 
their  mother's  face,  filled  with  its  well-known  love, 
sympathy  and  energy,  as  she  made  one  more  effort 
at  self-sacrifice  and  endurance  for  her  husband's 
sake,  choosing  to  go  with  him  and  two  of  her  boys 
who  would  need  her  more  in  the  new  life  than  the 
two  daughters,  left  to  the  protection  of  their  oldest 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  59 

brother  and  the  care  of  the  Robinsons  and  other 
loyal  friends  in  the  safety  and  comfort  of  their 
Leyden  home,  cheering  them  and  others  with  the 
prospects  of  a  speedy  reunion.  Hope  and  courage 
gilded  these  prospects  at  the  time.  Sarah  Priest, 
who  is  to  have  the  care  of  little  Sarah  Allerton,  her 
namesake  niece,  has  her  husband  to  part  from,  as 
well  as  her  brother  and  his  gentle  wife.  The  doctor's 
wife  has  a  similar  farewell  to  make  to  her  husband, 
though  her  sister-in-law  goes  with  her  family  — 
husband  and  son  —  and  the  wife  of  Edward  Fuller 
goes  with  him  and  their  son.  Susanna  White  having 
all  with  her  whom  she  holds  most  dear  (her  brothers, 
her  husband  and  little  boy)  may  be  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  most  fortunate  of  the  company;  it  is  the 
friends  of  Anna  Fuller  (as  she  still  seems  to  them) 
who  remain  behind,  who  shall  have  heavier  thoughts 
at  parting  than  Susanna  White,  though  her  cheer- 
fulness and  kindness  are  not  wanting. 

Other  women  who  are  happy  in  having  their 
families  with  them  are  Mrs.  Chilton  and  her  sweet 
daughter,  Mary,  who  has  ever  a  special  attendant 
in  the  person  of  one  of  Edward  Winslow's  brothers 
(two  of  whom  had  joined  him  in  his  life  at  Leyden 
and  preparations  for  this  adventure),  so  her  valua- 
ble bundles  of  baggage  are  well  looked  after  in  their 
transportation  into  the  ship. 

All  is  well  too,  in  the  heart  of  Elizabeth  Tilly, 
whose  father  is  more  than  half  her  world,  and  next 
in  it,  the  object  of  her  girlish  admiration,  Desire 
Minter  —  the  ward  of  lovely  Mrs.  Carver.  Her  step- 


60  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

mother  and  uncle's  family  are  all  part  of  the  out- 
going company  also,  so  her  spirits  may  be  light 
enough  to  amuse  the  children  —  herself  but  little 
past  the  boundaries  of  their  land  —  Elizabeth  Tilly 
with  sparkling  eyes  and  wind-blown  hair,  as  we  see 
her  then,  child  of  mystery  and  of  argument  after 
centuries  have  gone.  Doubtless  any  or  all  of  the 
older  members  of  that  company  could  have  answered 
a  question  that  still  burns  for  some  of  us  —  who  was 
her  mother?  Why  the  airy  tradition  floating  down 
the  years  that  she  was  grand-daughter  of  John 
Carver?  As  much,  that,  at  one  time,  seemed  un- 
fathomable, has  come  to  light  regarding  these  people, 
this  question  may  one  day  be  definitely  answered. 

Katherine  Carver  and  Elizabeth  Winslow,  feeling 
that  since  their  husbands  believed  in  this  venture, 
and  since  they  could  make  new  and  comfortable 
homes  for  them  anywhere,  all  was  well,  are  anxious 
to  be  off,  especially  as  the  former  had  for  some 
time  been  separated  from  her  husband,  and  looked 
forward  to  seeing  him  soon,  at  Southampton,  where 
he  was  to  meet  their  ship.  Also  the  wife  of  Captain 
Standish,  who  had  joined  this  expedition,  thought 
that  any  undertaking  with  which  her  martial  hus- 
band connected  himself  was  right,  and  so  long  as  she 
could  be  with  him  in  any  part  of  the  world,  happi- 
ness would  be  hers.  These  three  women,  having  only 
their  husbands  to  think  of,  are  naturally  drawn 
together,  and  each  can  appreciate  the  beauty  and 
charm  of  the  others,  being  equally  lovely  herself. 

Like    Mary    Chilton    and    her    mother,    Priscilla 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  61 

Mullins  and  her's  are  happy  in  the  thought  that 
they  are  not  to  be  separated  from  one  another  nor 
from  the  men  of  their  family. 

Among  the  friends  of  all  these  women  accompany- 
ing them  from  Leyden,  for  the  sweet  sorrow  of  part- 
ing, is  Juliana  Morton,  sole  representative  of  the 
Carpenter  family,  whose  daughters  had  been  gay 
companions  with  them  all,  in  past  days.  Juliana 
and  her  husband  and  family  alone  remained  in  Ley- 
den,  to  this  date,  and  for  a  time  thereafter.  The 
parents  and  the  two  younger  sisters,  Mary  and 
Priscilla,  returned  to  their  old  home  in  England; 
Agnes  Fuller  slept  under  the  shadow  of  St.  Peter's 
church  and  Alice  Southworth  with  her  husband  and 
two  boys  were  at  this  time  living  in  London  —  busi- 
ness affairs  of  Edward  Southworth  having  shortened 
their  stay  in  Leyden.  They,  however,  were  thorough- 
ly in  touch  with  the  plans  of  their  old  friends,  and 
knew  of  the  difficulties  with  which  they  had  con- 
tended. They  also  knew  of  the  preparations  being 
made  for  another  ship  with  passengers,  some  of  them 
strangers,  some  friends,  to  sail  from  London  to  meet 
the  ship  from  Delfshaven,  at  Southampton,  and  to- 
gether cross  the  ocean.  Like  others  of  the  original 
company  their  affairs  did  not  admit  of  themselves 
being  voyagers  at  this  time. 

Sarah  Fletcher  and  Hester  Cooke  are  two  others 
whose  hearts  we  feel  are  heavy,  as  their  husband* 
are  to  precede  them  to  a  new  country,  and  they  must 
remain  with  all  the  others  who  will  await  the  first 
opportunity  to  follow. 


62  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

The  tide  has  come  in,  the  wind  is  fair.  Now  gaily 
clad  sailors  are  getting  up  anchor  on  the  little  ship, 
filled  with  those  whose  trust  is  in  her.  All  ashore 
for  those  not  going  —  the  last,  the  very  last  farewells 
must  be  said.  Their  beloved  pastor  once  more  leads 
them  all  in  prayer,  his  entire  flock  about  him  for  the 
last  time.  And  so  they  "took  their  leave  one  of 
another;  which  proved  to  be  the  last  leave  to  many 
of  them." 

The  ship  moves  out  from  the  wharf,  the  wind 
shakes  the  flag  —  their  English  flag  —  above  them, 
token  of  their  regained  nationality.  A  volly  of  shot 
from  shore  and  three  guns  fired  from  the  ship  echo 
over  the  watchers  waving  to  each  other  as  long  as 
individuals  may  be  distinguished,  and  longer.  How 
eagerly  the  imagination  pictures  the  scene.  The 
Speedwell  on  that  fair  summer  morning,  sails  into 
the  unseen  fog  of  disappointment  and  failure  that 
shall  prove  her  name  a  sad  mistake.  But  for  all  on 
board  of  her  "the  fire  of  their  faith  lights  the  sea 
and  the  shore." 

So  they  leave  forever,  Holland,  that  refuge  which 
for  twelve  years  had  sheltered  them,  that  school 
wherein  they  have  been  shaped  and  prepared  for  the 
great  enterprise  before  them.  Their  own  country's 
flag  above  them,  their  own  little  vessel  to  carry  them 
once  more  to  England,  if  only  for  a  farewell.  Thus 
the  spirits  of  sadness  and  expectation  attend  them 
and  of  gratitude  and  hope. 

The    summer    breezes    blowing    from    England's 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  63 

shores  came  out  to  meet  the  little  ship  and  caressed 
the  hair  and  cheeks  of  that  group  of  England's 
daughters  who  stood,  drawing  their  long  cloaks 
about  them,  on  the  deck  of  the  Speedwell  as  it 
entered  Southampton  water.  Once  more,  as  so  often 
in  their  dreams  these  past  years,  they  behold  their 
native  land.  An  interlude  of  vision.  Only  two  of 
them  will  ever  return ;  for  the  rest  it  will  remain 
a  dream,  a  memory  —  for  "Memory  draws  from  de- 
light ere  it  dies  an  essence  that  breathes  of  it  many 
a  year." 

An  animated  day  this  proves  to  be,  with  greetings 
from  old  friends  and  new  acquaintances  who  have 
come  in  the  ship  from  London  to  join  them.  The  ship ! 
They  view  it  riding  at  anchor.  Of  its  name  or 
history  few  of  them  care.  Yet  what  other  ship  has 
held  more  truly  the  form  of  fate  for  its  passengers 
and  of  epoch  for  the  world!  But  they  could  not 
know  and  it  seemed  then  only  their  guide  to  cross 
the  sea,  their  means  of  accomplishing  the  only  way 
out  of  their  difficulties. 

A  company  of  shrewd  business  men,  as  profiteer- 
ing a  syndicate  as  ever  crushed  the  individual,  had 
happened  on  this  ship  at  the  time  they  needed  one 
of  its  size  and  accommodations  for  the  enterprise 
they  were  planning  to  undertake  in  sending  a  home- 
less, well-nigh  friendless,  but  dauntless  company  of 
men  and  women  to  colonize  in  America,  chiefly  on 
the  money  of  these  same  people  but  supplemented 
by  some  of  their  own,  and  many  directions,  condi- 
tions and  restrictions  for  their  endeavors  to  which 


64 


they  had  reluctantly  to  agree.  King  nor  country 
cared,  the  merchants,  their  nominal  backers,  cared 
less  than  nothing  for  the  personal  success  or  good 
fortune  of  these  voyagers,  except  only  where  ad- 
vancement of  their  own  selfish  interests  or  claims 
for  territorial  advantage  accrued  and  might  be  re- 
turned. 

These  two  boat  loads  of  pioneers  regarded  thus 
with  indifference,  may  be  viewed  for  a  moment  in 
contrast  to  that  subsequent  fleet  of  English  ships 
carrying  English  passengers  on  whom  all  England 
from  Crown  to  Commons  looked  with  interest  and 
in  whom  hope  and  pride  were  centered  —  the  ships 
bearing  colonists  under  the  leadership  of  John 
Winthrop,  to  the  same  shores,  ten  years  later, 
saluted  by  royal  guns  as  they  sailed  away  as  voy- 
agers whose  adventure  would  reflect  honor  and 
renown  to  the  kingdom,  whose  loss  would  be  a 
disaster  to  the  nation,  while  if  either  or  both  of  these 
two  unimportant  ships  with  all  on  board  had  sunk 
at  sea,  as  so  nearly  happened,  the  incident  would  not 
have  seemed  worth  recording  for  a  paragraph  of 
history  by  the  country,  who  treated  these  loving 
children  with  contempt  and  disdain.  Nevertheless 
these  brave  pilgrims  prepared  the  way  for  all  others 
who  later  sought  homes  on  the  far  shores  of  their 
intent  and  gave  them  aid  and  comfort  by  personal 
contact  as  well  as  by  their  example  of  unfaltering 
purpose.  For  their  recompense  to  the  merchants 
commercially  interested  in  their  adventure,  the  ac- 
count shows  them  more  than  over-paid,  at  length. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  65 

For  their  advantage  to  the  country  they  left  for- 
ever, since  it  did  not  understand  them  and  did  not 
want  them,  in  long,  long  years  from  that  day, 
perhaps  the  arrival  of  the  first  contingent  of  Ameri- 
can destroyers  in  British  waters,  in  the  spring  of 
1917,  to  give  a  certain  aid  and  comfort  to  England, 
may  be  accounted  a  return. 

But  thoughts  like  these  were  not  in  their  minds 
as  they  are  in  ours.  The  ship  from  London,  by 
name,  Mayflower,  was  before  them  —  an  actuality, 
while  for  us  it  is  a  vision. 

This  vessel  was  twice  the  size  of  the  little  Speed- 
well and  bore  a  popular  and  one  of  the  oldest  names 
for  British  ships.  A  predecessor  of  the  name  had  in 
1415  borne  the  flower  of  knighthood  to  France,  to 
fight  at  Agincourt.  Another  had  been  flagship  of 
the  Duke  of  Gloucester.  This  Mayflower  had  already 
a  noteworthy  career,  the  equal,  of  any,  as  a  warship. 
She  had  been  a  member  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  fleet, 
contributed  to  it  by  a  city  guild,  and  took  a  brilliant 
and  prominent  part  in  the  fights  of  the  Spanish 
Armada  to  the  final,  desperate  and  victorious  one. 
Nevertheless  in  spite  of  this,  her  name  would  not 
have  gilded  a  page  in  history,  but  on  the  day  she 
sailed  from  London  for  Southampton,  equipped  for 
a  long  voyage  across  the  sea,  destiny  began  to  weave 
for  her  the  wreath  of  fame.  Not  a  large  ship  — 120 
or  more  tons  —  and  about  82  feet  long,  but  what 
other  is  greater?  Which  more  inspiring  to  poets 
and  artists?  The  true  and  accepted  model  of  the 
Mayflower  is  on  exhibition  at  the  National  Museum 


66  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

in  Washington,  this  was  made  by  Capt.  J.  W.  Col- 
lins, an  expert  in  naval  architecture,  by  order  of  the 
United  States  Government. 

At  Southampton  the  companies  of  each  ship 
mingled  on  shore  and  on  shipboard  while  the  vessels 
were  being  made  ready  for  departure.  The  allot- 
ments to  the  respective  ships,  the  designation  of 
quarters  in  the  ships,  were  necessarily  made  chiefly 
with  regard  to  the  needs  and  comfort  of  the  women 
and  children.  The  number  of  each  was  increased  by 
the  wife  and  family  of  Stephen  Hopkins  and  of  John 
Billington,  also  by  four  children  named  More. 
These  children,  three  boys  and  a  girl,  were  protegees 
of  Mr.  Weston,  one  of  the  merchants  interested,  and, 
having  no  apparent  connection  with  any  one  of  the 
company;  just  what  reason  he  had  for  sending  them 
on  this  voyage  seems  likely  to  remain  an  unanswered 
question.  The  loving  natures  of  Mary  Brewster, 
Katherine  Carver  and  Elizabeth  Winslow  accepted 
them  as  their  special  charges,  and  Jasper  was  there- 
after considered  with  the  numerous  and  varied 
family  of  the  Carvers,  Ellen,  with  the  Winslows, 
while  Richard  and  his  other  brother,  increased  the 
Brewster 's  number  of  boys.  For  only  a  short  time 
were  these  children  to  know  these  new  and  kind 
friends.  Another  unexpected  addition  to  their 
numbers  was  in  the  person  of  the  young  man  of 
Southampton,  John  Alden  by  name,  who  joined  their 
company,  as  cooper,  for  the  sake  of  the  voyage  and 
adventure  —  but  who  remained  as  one  of  them  for 
the  sake  of  the  love  and  admiration  he  gained  for 


67 


some  in  particular.  Their  business  affairs  being 
concluded,  the  Speedwell  and  Mayflower  sailed  from 
the  harbor,  but  soon  the  Speedwell  was  found  in  a 
dangerous  condition  from  leaks, —  though  she  had 
been  thoroughly  overhauled  after  her  trip  from 
Holland.  It  was  decided  to  put  into  the  nearby  port 
of  Dartmouth,  where  a  stay  was  made  of  ten  days, 
at  much  cost  to  the  pilgrims  both  in  time  and 
money.  However,  after  this  set-back,  the  ships 
sailed  again  and  all  had  hopes  of  comfortable  prog- 
ress. Land's  End  was  behind  them  about  a  hundred 
leagues  on  the  23rd  of  August,  when  the  Captain  of 
the  Speedwell  again  proclaimed  that  disaster  to  his 
ship  was  imminent.  There  was  nothing  else  to  do 
but  turn  both  ships  back  to  the  nearest  port. 
Plymouth  welcomed  them  and  kind-hearted  people 
there  tried  to  comfort  and  cheer  the  disappointed 
passengers.  For  some,  these  several  returns  to  Eng- 
land began  to  affect  their  spirits  as  a  portent  or 
warning,  but  to  others  they  but  served  to  make 
stronger  the  desire  to  carry  out  their  plans,  in  spite 
of  discouragement,  in  spite  of  the  charm  of  Eng- 
land's summer  days  beside  the  sea,  in  spite  of  the 
bright  and  friendly  town  through  whose  massive 
gateways  they  had  to  pass  to  visit  the  busy  streets 
and  get  their  last  glimpses  of  gay  shops  —  sights 
which  they  realized  they  would  never  again  see  when 
they  had  emigrated  to  the  new  and  lonely  land. 
This  acid  test  lasted  fourteen  days. 

About  this  time,  in  their  house  in  Dukes 's  place, 
Edward    and    Alice    South  worth   received    a    letter 


68  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

written  by  Robert  Cushman,  while  at  Dartmouth, 
relating  the  unpleasant  events  that  had  transpired. 
Their  sympathies  were  doubtless  awakened,  but  even 
more  their  surprise,  when,  not  long  after,  Robert 
and  Mary  Cushman  and  their  son,  returned  to  Lon- 
don; they  and  a  number  of  others  both  from  choice 
and  necessity  had  left  the  company  at  Plymouth 
when  it  was  finally  decided  to  abandon  the  thought 
of  the  Speedwell  making  the  voyage  and  that  the 
Mayflower  would  go  on  alone. 

Such  of  the  passengers  who  had  come  from  Leyden 
and  who  were  to  continue  their  voyage,  were  trans- 
ferred with  their  effects  to  the  other  ship,  and  in  this 
unexpected  turn  of  their  affairs,  all  had  to  make 
themselves  as  comfortable  as  possible.  Disappoint- 
ment and  the  discouraging  delay  could  not  have  lent 
much  enthusiasm  to  the  re-arranging  of  themselves^ 
and  their  family  belongings,  especially  in  such 
crowded  quarters  as  now  became  necessary.  Finally, 
all  being  adjusted,  the  Speedwell  sailed  for  London 
and  the  Mayflower  for  her  long  voyage. 

Compactness  could  never  have  had  a  more  effec- 
tive demonstration,  when  one  considers  what  actual- 
ly was  required  by  these  colonists  in  the  way  of 
equipment,  the  number  of  people  and  the  size  of 
the  ship.  Though  the  Leyden  contingent  had  brought 
little  more  than  personal  belongings,  and  as  few  as 
possible,  the  Speedwell  had  little  spare  space,  while 
on  board  the  Mayflower  when  she  sailed  from  London 
were  not  only  the  passengers  and  their  accessories, 
but  supplies  for  the  enterprise  as  a  whole  —  other 


69 


necessaries  being  added  at  Southampton  —  also  the 
regular  ship's  supplies  for  the  vessel  and  crew  for 
a  long  voyage  and  return. 

Let  us  glance  at  a  list  of  articles  which  we  know 
were  part  of  the  load:  building  materials  for  houses 
and  boats,  clothing  materials,  beds  and  bedding, 
rugs,  spinning-wheels,  chairs,  chests,  cradles,  cook- 
ing utensils,  carpentering  tools,  books,  weapons, 
gunpowder  and  shot,  cannon,  garden  and  farm  im- 
plements, seeds  and  plants,  medicines,  trinkets  for 
trading  with  the  Indians,  goats,  chickens,  pigs, 
pigeons,  dogs,  beer  and  butter,  food  for  the  animals, 
dried  and  salted  foods  for  the  people.  And  some  of 
these  things  we  may  see  this  day,  as  they  have  been 
seen  on  any  day  of  these  three  hundred  years  since 
they  were  shipped  on  the  Mayflower. 

We  have  heard  careless  or  would-be  witty  remarks 
as  to  the  countless  china  tea  pots,  which  came  in  the 
Mayflower  and  are  in  every  state  in  the  Union,  or 
household  furnishings  which  would  supply  largely 
populated  cities  by  the  number  claimed  as  authentic. 
Such  amusing  remarks  cause  a  smile  indeed,  not 
however,  from  the  cause  the  sarcastic  authors  as- 
sume, but  from  the  ignorance  or  exaggeration  will- 
ingly or  unconsciously  evinced.  The  known  freight 
the  Mayflower  carried  was  a  ship  load  and  no  more 
—  and  some  of  it  remains  to  the  present  hour. 
China  tea  pots,  or  even  one,  never  was  part  of  her 
invoice;  tea  and  coffee  were  not  then  known  as 
beverages  to  these  people,  nor  in  their  world;  what 
a  solace  and  comfort  therefore  was  missing  for  the 


70  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

women  of  the  voyage  —  for  at  sea,  how  seemingly 
indispensable  are  these  important  factors  of  present 
day  life. 

The  women  of  the  Mayflower  —  let  us  look  at 
them  now,  since  all  who  ever  may  be  called  by  that 
name  are  together  on  the  ship,  and  fair  days  and 
moonlight  nights  give  possible  encouragement  to 
them  as  the  voyage  opens.  We  see  the  forms  of  those 
we  have  known  in  England  and  Leyden,  heretofore, 
some  more  familiar  to  us  than  others,  but  we  are 
interested  in  all,  however  slight  our  acquaintance; 
and  their  new  companions,  lately  from  London, 
claim  our  attention  likewise.  Among  these  latter 
we  note  Mrs.  Stephen  Hopkins  as  an  addition  of 
great  advantage;  her  vigor  of  mind  and  body,  her 
decidedly  wholesome  and  attractive  personality 
wins  regard  from  all.  Her  own  little  daughter, 
Damaris,  and  her  step-daughter,  Constantia,  added 
one  each  to  the  quota  of  childhood  and  girlhood  on 
board.  Against  the  name  of  Elizabeth  Hopkins,  as 
against  the  names  of  two  others  of  the  matrons  of 
this  passenger  list,  (Mary  Brewster  and  Susanna 
White)  destiny  set  a  shining  mark. 

Mrs.  John  Carver  has  her  maid  and  her  young 
ward,  Desire  Minter,  also  the  frequent  company  of 
her  dear  friends,  Mrs.  Myles  Standish  and  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward Winslow.  It  needed  not  for  John  Carver  to 
be  one  of  the  leading  men  of  this  company,  nor  for 
him  and  his  wife  to  have  more  of  worldly  goods  than 
many,  for  Katherine  Carver  to  have  the  love  and  ad- 
miration of  all  who  knew  her. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  71 

Quite  a  stranger  to  all  is  Mrs.  Christopher  Martin, 
and  scarcely  known  during  her  brief  stay  among 
them;  she  and  her  husband  were  among  the  pas- 
sengers from  London. 

Two  pairs  of  mothers  and  daughters,  —  Mrs. 
Chilton  and  Mary,  Mrs.  Mullins  and  Priscilla  — 
engage  our  attention,  as  Cupid's  entanglements  are 
even  in  this  serious  adventure,  since  Mary  has  lost 
an  admirer  and  Priscilla  gained  one.  There  was  not 
room  for  both  of  Edward  Winslow's  brothers  on 
the  larger  ship,  when  the  Speedwell  failed  their 
hopes,  so  John  had  to  seek  the  new  world  and  his 
winsome  Mary,  at  a  later  day.  John  Alden,  the 
young  cooper,  engaged  for  the  voyage  at  Southamp- 
ton, has  already  met  his  fate  in  acquaintance  with 
the  buoyant  Priscilla.  The  names  of  these  two  sweet 
maids  of  the  Mayflower,  (soon  to  become  sorrow- 
touched  women  of  the  new  colony)  ripple  as  music 
through  poetry  and  romance,  or  staid  fact  and  his- 
tory to  our  imagination. 

Here  is  a  group  whom  we  know  far  less  well ;  Mrs. 
Thomas  Tinker,  Mrs.  John  Rigdale,  Mrs.  Francis 
Eaton,  yet  we  feel  sure  their  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart  must  be  the  equal  of  many  of  their  compan- 
ions. 

Here  are  the  sisters-in-law,  wives  of  John  and 
Edward  Tilly,  each  with  a  young  girl  to  mother  — 
not  her  own  —  for  Humility  Cooper  is  cousin  to 
Ann  Tilly,  and  Elizabeth  is  a  step-child  to  John 
Tilly's  wife. 

Mrs.   Edward   Fuller,  sister-in-law  of  the  doctor 


72  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

and  Anna  White,  is  one  of  those  sailing  for  another 
haven  than  some  of  the  others,  though  knowing  it 
not. 

From  London  has  come  Mrs.  John  Billington,  so 
different  in  style  and  manner  from  her  women  com- 
panions as  to  be  quite  noticeable,  yet  not  lacking 
in  desirable  qualities  to  say  the  least;  and  little 
Ellen  More,  now  in  Mrs.  Winslow's  care. 

Mrs.  William  Bradford  —  standing  in  the  shadow 
of  tragedy  —  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Allerton  with  her  two 
little  girls,  Remember  and  Mary,  complete  the 
count.  Mary  Allerton 's  namesake  daughter  stands 
nearest  to  us,  of  all  that  company,  between  that  day 
and  this. 

"How  slow  yon  tiny  vessel  plows  the  main! 
Amid  the  heavy  billows  now  she  seems 
A  toiling  atom  —  then  from  wave  to  wave 
Leaps  madly,  by  the  tempest  lashed,  —  or  reels, 
Half  wrecked,  through  gulfs  profound. 
Moons  wax  and  wane, 
But  still  that  lonely  traveller  treads  the  deep." 

What  words  can  better  picture  the  Mayflower  at 
sea  than  these  of  Mrs.  Sigourney?  The  monotony, 
the  discomfort,  the  terrors  day  after  day.  Since  the 
waning  of  the  September  moon,  under  which  the 
voyage  began,  the  weather  had  become  cold  and 
stormy;  the  sea  dangerous  —  whose  roughness  af 
fected  many  and  made  the  labors  and  duties  of  those 
able  to  withstand  it,  increase. 

The  ship's  cook  was  of  slight  service  to  the  pas- 
sengers, since  his  work  was  for  the  benefit  of  the 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  73 

officers  and  crew  only,  therefore  the  preparing  of 
their  meals  fell  to  the  different  individuals  whose 
health  and  abilities  so  enabled  them.  With  slight 
cooking  facilities,  it  was  necessary  to  rely  chiefly 
upon  such  fare  as  did  not  require  to  be  prepared  by 
fire;  gin  and  brandy  were  relied  upon  for  warmth, 
and  beer  a  tonic. 

To  this  tossing  ship,  on  one  of  these  stormy  days, 
there  comes  a  stranger,  promptly  and  appropriately 
called  Oceanus,  and  the  Hopkins  family  becomes  one 
of  especial  interest,  with  its  new  baby  for  all  the 
women  and  children  to  delight  in. 

Another  day's  excitement  is  provided  by  one  of 
the  young  men,  who  chafing  under  the  restraint  of 
staying  below  decks,  imposed  by  the  storm,  ventures 
above  and  is  no  sooner  out  than  over  the  side  of  the 
ship,  in  the  grip  of  a  wave.  His  presence  of  mind 
to  grasp  a  rope,  which  trailed  from  the  rigging  in 
the  water  and  his  grit  in  holding  on,  making  his 
rescue  possible  by  the  sailors,  make  a  topic  of  con- 
versation with  sufficient  thrill.  One  wonders  if  John 
Howland  became  invested  with  a  new  interest  for 
Elizabeth  Tilly  from  that  day,  or  the  few  subse- 
quent ones,  when  the  great,  hearty  fellow  was  some- 
what the  worse  for  his  adventure. 

The  shock  of  death  enters  when  a  particularly 
rough  sailor,  who  had  terrorized  the  women  and 
children  and  annoyed  the  men  by  his  language  and 
manners,  is  stricken  suddenly,  buried  at  sea,  and 
so  one  of  their  trials  is  removed. 

The  storm  increases  and  all  doubt  not  that  their 


74  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

end  is  approaching,  since  the  ship  is  giving  way,  but 
this  crisis  passes,  by  the  energies  of  the  captain  and 
crew  and  the  aid  of  an  iron  screw,  or  jack,  which 
was  brought  by  a  passenger  from  Leyden.  That 
screw  was  the  instrument  which  saved  the  May- 
flower, and  we  know  not  the  owner  —  whose  name 
seems  of  more  interest  to  us  than  it  did  to  them  to 
whom  the  screw  was  the  thing. 

Another  day  brings  a  blow  to  Doctor  Fuller  and 
to  all,  since  one  of  their  own  company  is  summoned 
by  death,  the  young  assistant  to  the  doctor,  William 
Button.  Many  begin  to  show  the  effects  of  the 
dreary  weeks  on  the  ship  and  look  worn,  weary  and 
ill. 

At  last,  at  last,  in  a  November  dawn,  land  is  in 
sight!  A  day  spent  in  running  southward  looking 
for  a  favorable  harbor,  but  none  appearing,  they 
turn  about  and  return  to  the  point  of  land  first 
seen,  and  by  nightfall  are  safely  riding  at  anchor. 

With  the  episode  immediately  following,  the 
women  had  no  actual  connection,  yet  to  some  we 
know  it  was  of  interest,  as  their  husbands  signed 
the  document  drawn  up  in  the  cabin,  and  because 
of  it  Katherine  Carver  was  made  the  "first  lady" 
of  the  little  group  of  friends,  since  her  husband  was 
then  duly  elected  governor  of  this  colonial  company. 
More  love,  more  respect,  they  could  not  give  her  as 
their  governor's  wife  than  they  had  always  given 
her  as  just  one  of  themselves  —  tested  and  trained 
as  all  had  been  together  in  the  years  of  friendship 
amid  all  the  shades  of  mutual  experience. 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  75 

The  next  day  new  life  and  animation  was  evident 
among  all  on  board  the  Mayflower.  Hope  flung 
aside  the  grey  veils  that  had  almost  enveloped  her 
for  many  weeks  and  stood  in  the  radiant  garments 
of  expectancy  —  they  would  not  recognize  the 
vagueness,  the  emptiness  of  her  background.  They 
had  been  brought  across  the  sea  in  safety  —  they 
were  about  to  disembark  on  the  solid  ground  of 
their  new  country.  Ambition  stirred  the  weakest  to 
prove  the  wisdom  of  their  choice. 

In  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower,  next  day,  their 
Elder  led  them  in  prayer  and  hymns  of  thankful- 
ness. Around  were  those  who  had  listened  to  him 
in  the  old  hall  at  Scrooby  Manor,  and  others  who, 
since  then,  had  made  his  way  their  way  through  life. 
We  may  easily  picture,  again,  Mary,  his  devoted 
wife,  seated  in  the  old  chair  (which,  at  least,  we 
may  see  actually),  her  gentle,  anxious  face  silhouetted 
against  the  grim  old  cabin  walls  of  the  Mayflower, 
as  lovely  to  her  friends  who  looked  at  her  that  day, 
as  when  its  fairness  had  as  a  background  her  old 
home  in  the  stately  manor  in  England.  All  who 
were  able  were  at  this  service,  on  what,  for  them, 
was  Expectation  Sunday,  (though  some  were  too 
weak  and  ill  to  leave  their  berths),  and  afterwards, 
walked  on  the  decks  looking  at  the  new,  mysterious 
land  before  them  —  recognizing  various  familiar 
trees,  growing  almost  to  the  water's  edge,  and  ac- 
cepting the  attention  of  the  surprised  but  welcoming 
sea-gulls.  The  little  pool,  across  a  stretch  of  nearby 
beach,  partly  surrounded  by  juniper  trees,  attracted 


76  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

the  eyes  of  the  women  with  delight  at  prospect,  if 
tomorrow  was  fair,  for  a  grand  and  general  wash 
day,  with  plenty  of  water,  instead  of  the  restricted 
supply  that  had  had  to  suffice  them  for  more  than 
a  hundred  days'  effort  at  cleanliness. 

The  cold,  foggy  morning  of  the  23rd  of  November 
witnessed  much  energy  among  the  company  on  the 
ship,  riding  at  anchor  in  its  lonely  harbor.  Small 
boats  brought  many  of  the  women  ashore  with  ket- 
tles and  big  bundles,  —  the  first  time  that  they  set 
foot  on  the  soil  of  their  new  country — and  Monday 
wash  day  was  established.  The  men  who  were  not 
employed  repairing  the  small  boat,  or  shallop,  which 
had  been  stored  in  the  hold  of  the  Mayflower,  and 
which  they  wished  to  use  for  exploration  as  soon  as 
possible,  cut  the  fragrant  cedars  or  junipers  about 
the  pool,  made  cheerful,  pungent  fires,  and  swung 
the  kettles  for  the  boiling  water.  Some,  no  doubt, 
looked  on  it  as  quite  a  picnic,  with  lunch  served  by 
the  fire,  and  the  whole  thing  a  change  from  the  life 
of  the  past  weeks. 

The  dusk  saw  the  footprints  of  many  English 
women  marking  for  the  first  time  that  sea-washed 
shore,  and  the  ashes  of  the  first  fires  of  civilized  life, 
(with  women  as  an  important  half  of  that  life), 
mingling  with  the  sands.  The  women  went  "home" 
to  the  ship,  with  contentment  in  their  minds,  but 
wet,  cold  and  tired.  Small  wonder  that  colds  be- 
came evident  next  day  —  with  little  vitality  left  to 
resist  them.  Misery  had  plenty  of  company. 

Another  day  and  the  anxious  wives  whose  hus- 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  77 

bands  made  up  the  first  exploring  party  watched 
them  row  away  in  the  ship's  long  boat,  land  and 
march  along  the  shore,  out  of  sight,  under  the 
watchful  lead  of  Captain  Myles  Standish. 

Through  the  two  days  and  nights  of  their  absence, 
knowing  not  what  dangers  or  disasters  might  befall 
them,  we  can  never  doubt  that  the  secret  prayers  of 
Rose  Standish  unceasingly  appealed  for  the  safe 
return  of  her  husband  and  the  husbands  of  the  other 
women,  her  dear  friends,  for  whom  he  was  respon- 
sible. And  not  her's  only  we  know  were  answered, 
when,  on  the  third  morning,  the  welcome  sound  of 
guns  from  shore,  signaling  the  long  boat,  relieved 
the  tension  on  the  ship.  What  rejoicing,  interest 
and  even  amusement  was  the  result  of  their  safe 
arrival,  with  curious  trophies  of  their  first  land  jour- 
ney and  descriptions  of  what  they  had  seen  and 
done. 

After  a  few  days,  their  own  shallop  being  repaired, 
another  and  larger  party  went  away  for  discovery. 
Another  safe  return  and  tales  of  interest  followed 
this.  And  news  of  importance  awaited  them,  also 
—  for  they  found  the  White  family  rejoicing  in  the 
arrival  of  a  son  and  brother;  Dr.  Fuller  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Edward  Fuller  in  a  new  nephew,  and  Sam- 
uel in  a  cousin,  in  the  little  Pilgrim.  Probably 
Oceanus  Hopkins  looked  at  his  future  playmate  with 
interest,  not  unmixed  with  surprise  that  he  was  no 
longer  the  new  baby  of  the  Mayflower. 

Before  the  next  attempt  to  find  the  place  most 
desirable  for  their  permanent  location,  another 


78  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

event,  far  less  cheerful,  drew  attention  to  the  Whites. 
A  young  man  in  their  employ,  Edward  Thompson, 
died,  and  thus  became  the  first  of  the  Mayflower 
passengers  to  be  buried  in  American  soil. 

The  following  day,  one  of  the  Billington  boys  in 
search  of  diversion,  finding  a  loaded  gun  in  the 
cabin  and  a  barrel  of  gunpowder,  promptly  shot  it 
off  then  and  there;  his  pleasure  was  short-lived,  but 
those  who  were  ill  or  much  startled  by  the  noise, 
probably  did  not  care  what  happened  to  him.  The 
jeopardy  in  which  he  placed  the  ship  and  every  soul 
on  board  was  doubtless  beyond  his  comprehension. 
The  restlessness  of  the  small  boys  in  those  cramped 
quarters  was  one  of  the  trials  the  mothers  had  to 
bear.  Our  sympathy  is  for  both. 

On  the  16th  of  December,  reckoning  by  the  calen- 
dar as  we  know  it,  the  third  and,  as  it  proved  to  be, 
the  final  and  successful  attempt  at  finding  the  place 
for  their  settlement  was  made.  But  while  much  hap- 
pened to  the  exploring  party,  in  the  seven  days  of 
its  absence,  and  while  the  thoughts  of  those  left  on 
the  ship  followed  them,  at  all  times,  hearts  were 
heaviest  there,  and  gloom  as  great  as  that  surround- 
ing the  storm-tossed  shallop  settled  on  the  May- 
flower. The  moments  were  tense  to  the  family  of 
James  Chilton,  whose  illness  daily  became  more 
acute,  and  hope  of  his  recovery  faded  in  the  hearts 
of  his  loving  wife  and  daughter.  Into  the  loving 
sympathy  of  their  friends  and  their  own  deep  sor- 
row, there  entered  a  shock  and  excitement  of  stun- 
ning effect,  when  it  was  discovered  that  Dorothy 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  79 

Bradford  was  missing.  Someone  had  seen  her  on 
deck  —  we  see  her,  too  —  standing,  in  the  sunset, 
wrapped  in  her  long  cape,  looking  over  the  water, 
alone. 

We  recall  her  as,  years  past,  we  saw  her  on 
another  winter  afternoon,  in  Amsterdam,  standing 
with  Patience  Brewster  on  the  banks  of  the  canal, 
gay  with  skaters  —  the  elder 's  daughter,  then,  mm 
the  wife  of  one  of  the  principal  men  of  this  com- 
pany. 

One  who  kept  a  record  of  those  days  wrote:  "At 
anchor  in  Cape  Cod  harbor.  This  day  Mistress 
Dorothy  Bradford,  wife  of  Master  Bradford,  who  is 
away  with  the  exploring  party,  to  the  westward,  fell 
overboard  and  was  drowned."  A  woman  of  the 
Mayflower  whose  experience  of  the  New  World  was 
destined  to  be  brief  —  and  never  of  Plymouth 
Colony  —  the  one  appointed  to  lead  the  way  into  a 
New  Country  for  many  of  the  women  who  sorrowed 
that  night  for  her  sudden  going.  That  no  further 
comment  or  record  was  made  of  this  tragedy  seems 
remarkable.  Out  of  the  silence  conjectures  arise, 
as  will  in  such  conditions,  without  form  or  founda- 
tion in  truth  as  far  as  can  ever  be  known. 

Mr.  Chilton  died  the  next  day  —  the  first  head  of 
a  family  to  be  taken.  The  illness  which  was  grad- 
ually affecting  many  of  the  company,  grew  out  of 
the  colds  and  run  down  condition  they  had  reached. 
It  seems  like  grip  or  influenza  of  our  modern  knowl- 
edge, with  other  complications;  its  fatality  was 
appalling.  Mary  Chilton  and  her  mother  had  need 


80 


of  the  uplifting  sympathy  and  companionship  of 
such  friends  as  Mary  Brewster  and  Susanna  White 
in  the  dark  hours  of  their  sorrow.  Theirs  was  the 
first  test  of  faith.  The  little  family  of  three  had 
expected  to  face  the  new  life  together,  with  what- 
soever pleasure  or  privation  it  might  bring,  and  to 
have  the  one  taken  for  whom  and  with  whom  the 
other  two  had  willingly  ventured,  strong  in  their 
love  and  determination  to  bear  their  part  in  the 
work  which  needed  women's  hands  to  secure  even 
a  semblance  of  home,  was  crushing  indeed.  Yet 
these  women,  already  proven  brave,  would  now  be 
braver  still  and  rejoice  in  the  safe  return  in  the 
shallop  of  the  other  husbands  and  fathers  who 
brought  the  good  news  of  a  satisfactory  place  to 
establish  their  settlement. 

The  enthusiasm  of  these  men  at  the  happy  ending 
of  their  uncomfortable  and  dangerous  journey  was 
soon  lessened  by  knowledge  of  the  grievous  and 
unexpected  events  which  had  happened  while  they 
were  away. 

We  think  it  was  Elder  Brewster  who  gave  the  sad 
explanation  to  William  Bradford  as  to  why  Dorothy 
was  not  with  the  cluster  of  women  and  girls  who 
crowded  so  eagerly  at  the  ship's  rail  to  catch  first 
glimpse  of  their  men  as  the  discoverers  returned. 
These  men  had  lately  seen  and  touched  a  rock,  for 
them  a  stepping-stone,  that  day  of  exploration,  to 
solid  ground  —  they  saw  it  not  as  the  gateway  of  a 
mighty  nation;  a  rock  which  had  wandered  to  that 
place  from  far  away;  a  traveller,  a  pilgrim  who  had 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  81 

waited  long  to  welcome  these  pilgrims.  They  re- 
turned now  to  the  rock  of  their  community,  William 
Brewster,  keystone  of  the  arch  of  their  high  aspira- 
tions, molder  and  guardian  of  the  firm  principles 
that  other  rock  so  fitly  typified. 

One  more  storm  and  struggle  for  the  Mayflower 
on  weighing  anchor  again,  one  more  disappointing 
return  to  a  harbor  which  she  desired  to  leave,  but 
after  all  a  calm  day's  sail  across  the  bay  and  rest 
in  that  quiet  harbor  guarded  by  the  lonely  rock. 
Her  work  nobly  performed,  her  name  immortal,  she 
had  reached  the  goal. 


THE  FIRST  STREET. 


mn   BB   nm   BB   n  n  i   ••   11 1  n 


THE  FIRST  STREET. 

THE  FIRST  STREET  of  Plymouth,  the  first  street  of 
New  England,  was  in  the  making.  From  the  decks 
of  the  Mayflower  the  women  looked  longingly  toward 
the  land,  whither  the  men  went  daily,  hearing  the 
sounds  of  hammering  and  sawing  which  came  across 
the  harbor,  for  as  yet  none  of  them  had  been  per- 
mitted to  go  ashore  in  these  new  surroundings.  The 
hill  which  arose  at  the  water's  edge,  behind  the 
rock,  was  snow-crowned;  around  and  beside  it  a 
path  had  been  cut  and  worn  by  the  men  as  they  went 
to  the  work  of  making  houses  for  their  families. 

By  the  maps  and  charts  of  the  company,  it  was 
found  that  this  situation,  which  they  had  all  ap- 
proved for  their  permanent  residence,  was  the  place 
visited  and  named  by  an  earlier  explorer  of  whom 
they  had  heard,  and  some  had  seen,  Captain  John 
Smith.  The  appellation  he  gave  to  it  suited  them 
well  —  Plymouth ;  if  they  had  had  the  selection  of  a 
name  as  well  as  the  site  for  their  New  World  home, 
it  could  not  have  been  better  chosen,  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  Plymouth  was  the  last  place  their  feet  had 
trod  and  their  eyes  seen  in  their  Old  World  home, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  that  town  had  been  kind  to 
them. 

Nevertheless  it  was  of  Leyden  that  they  thought 
when  building.  The  larger  hill  at  the  end  of  the 


86  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

street,  which  they  at  first  saw  in  the  mind's  eye, 
even  as  we  do  now,  reminded  them  of  the  eminence 
crowned  by  the  fort  at  Leyden,  and  upon  it  they 
would  build  their  fort  and  it  would  be  a  constant 
reminder  of  the  Burg. 

But  first  must  be  built  the  store-house  to  hold  all 
their  belongings  moved  from  the  ship,  and  then  the 
few  houses  necessary  to  shelter  themselves.  Of  these 
plans  they  talked  at  night  when  the  men  returned  to 
the  ship  or  on  the  days  when  the  weather  was  so 
inclement  that  no  trip  could  be  made  ashore;  these 
delays  were  a  constant  strain  upon  the  nerves  of  all, 
as  the  need  for  haste  was  so  evident,  with  winter's 
storms  increasing  and  the  impatience  of  the  crew 
growing  therewith,  to  say  nothing  of  the  failing 
health  and  strength  of  so  many  of  themselves. 

The  fortitude  and  patience  of  the  women  who  had 
braved  all  the  dangers,  shared  all  the  trials,  and 
now,  in  spite  of  courage  and  cheerfulness  seemed 
fading  before  their  eyes  was  enough  to  urge  every 
man  to  use  his  own  last  reserves  of  energy  and 
strength  to  provide  better  conditions  for  them.  They 
well  realized  the  important  asset  to  their  venture, 
of  the  women.  Without  them  not  even  the  mag- 
netism and  charm  of  Brewster,  the  indomitableness 
and  courage  of  Myles  Standish,  the  business  ability 
of  Allerton,  the  experience  of  Hopkins,  the  worldly 
wisdom  of  Winslow,  the  youth  and  strength  of  John 
Rowland  and  John  Alden  or  the  zeal  and  fervor  of 
Bradford  and  Carver  could  have  assured  the  stabil- 
ity and  success  of  this  colony.  Previous  settlements 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  87 

in  this  region  and  others  further  south  bore  witness 
to  a  lack  of  something  making  for  continued  interest 
and  permanence  on  the  part  of  the  men,  who  were 
not  wanting  in  necessary  personal  qualities.  The 
abandonment  of  such  ventures  in  Maine  and  Vir- 
ginia, where  no  women  had  accompanied  the  men, 
is  proof  that  a  common  larder  and  fireside  are  not 
the  things  for  which  men  struggle  against  hardship, 
disaster  and  death.  But  the  street  of  Plymouth, 
albeit  made  in  the  face  of  every  trial  of  circum- 
stance, was  made  by  men  for  the  women  they  loved, 
and  Plymouth  has  never  been  abandoned  nor  its 
street  untrod  by  the  families  and  descendants  of 
these  men  and  women. 


The  weeks  of  January  drag  by,  spent  by  the  men 
ashore,  many  not  returning  to  the  ship  at  night  when 
the  roof  of  the  store-house  was  finished,  both  to  save 
the  time  of  the  trip  back  and  forth  and  to  guard 
their  belongings  already  there;  so  lights  gleamed  at 
night  from  Plymouth,  seen  by  the  weary  watchers 
on  the  ship  and  the  ship  lights  shone  in  the  sight 
of  the  builders,  signals  to  one  another  yet  seeming 
to  make  the  gloom  of  their  situation  more  visible. 

The  violent  storm  which  ushered  in  the  month 
caused  the  Mayflower  to  madly  roll  and  tug  at  three 
anchors  necessary  to  hold  her;  in  the  midst  of  this 
discomfort,  the  third  birth  occurred  on  the  ship,  but 
the  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary  Allerton  never  knew  the 
world  to  which  he  came.  One  of  the  young  men, 


88  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

Richard  Britteridge,  also  died  about  this  time,  and 
so  the  burials  began  on  the  snow-covered  hill. 

The  women  had  more  to  do,  however,  than  look 
towards  the  shore  and  long  to  land,  for  the  life  on 
the  ship  was  not  an  idle  one  for  any  of  them  while 
health  and  strength  lasted.  As,  one  by  one,  illness 
attacked  them,  those  remaining  well  had  many 
added  cares.  Assisting  Doctor  Fuller,  attending  to 
the  wants  of  the  families  of  those  mothers  who  were 
ill,  preparing  the  food  for  the  sick  and  for  the  men 
who  went  daily  ashore  to  work,  keeping  the  children 
safe  and  amused,  and,  above  all,  keeping  their  own 
faith  and  hope  alive  went  on  as  unendingly  as  the 
swell  of  the  sea  beneath  them. 

By  the  end  of  the  month,  the  house  built  to  store 
their  belongings  and  to  shelter  some  of  them  while 
the  others  were  being  erected,  was  finished  and  was 
also  a  hospital  in  its  capacity  of  general  or  common 
house,  for  numbers  of  the  workers  had  to  occupy  the 
beds  as  fast  as  they  could  be  brought  from  the  ship, 
their  brave  fight  against  the  odds  overwhelming 
many.  The  women  had  an  hour  of  frightful  sus- 
pense when,  suddenly,  before  the  eyes  of  some  look- 
ing towards  the  land,  flames  leapt  out  and  shouts 
were  heard.  They  were  sure  the  dreaded  event  had 
happened  —  that  the  Indians  had  attacked  and  van- 
quished all  ashore.  But  the  later  knowledge  that  no 
Indians  had  appeared  and  no  one  was  hurt,  recon- 
ciled them  to  the  loss  of  the  roof  of  the  common 
house  from  too  great  a  fire  in  the  chimney;  it  had 
to  be  relaid  —  and  then  the  joyful  decision  was  made 


89 


that  all  who  were  able  should  come  from  the  ship 
on  the  next  Sunday  for  a  service  in  the  common 
house,  which  was  to  serve  also  as  church  and  bar- 
racks for  a  time. 

The  little  ship  of  the  Pilgrims,  called  only  "the 
shallop,"  and  already  proven  staunch  and  true  to 
their  needs,  leaves  the  side  of  the  Mayflower  on  this 
wintry  Sunday,  with  the  women  as  passengers  for 
the  first  time,  and  sails  over  the  mile  or  so  of  water 
towards  the  landing.  Some  are  using  their  greatest 
efforts;  some  are  too  weak  to  come  at  all,  and  even 
those  still  well  are  vastly  different  in  looks  and  man- 
ner from  their  appearance  at  leaving  old  Plymouth 
or  even  on  that  first  Monday  of  enthusiasm  at  Cape 
Cod.  But  all  feel  that  a  new  era  is  dawning  and 
again  the  need  calls  out  the  latent  spirit  of  sacrifice 
inherent  in  every  woman,  on  this  occasion  once  more 
requiring  the  putting  aside  of  personal  feelings  of 
sorrow  or  illness  for  the  common  good.  From  ths 
day  when  these  women  gave  up  their  early  associa- 
tions and  left  their  English  homes  to  live  in  a 
strange  country  among  people  with  different  cus- 
toms and  language,  striving  to  preserve  their  own 
during  the  twelve  years  of  their  sojourn,  through 
the  time  of  their  embarking  at  Delfshaven  and  later 
sailing  from  Plymouth,  when  they  saw  cherished 
possessions  and  loved  members  of  their  families  left 
behind,  during  the  famous  voyage  with  its  heart- 
rending conditions  for  them  of  wet,  cold,  poor  food, 
overcrowding,  storms,  anxiety,  to  the  day  they 


90 


landed,  worn  and  exhausted  with  no  homes  to  go  to, 
new  hardships  and  dangers  awaiting  them,  self- 
sacrifice  was  in  a  continually  ascending  scale  and. 
for  many,  could  go  no  further. 

Some  of  the  men  are  standing  on  the  rock,  watch- 
ing the  progress  of  the  boat,  some  are  grouped  at 
the  Common  House  on  guard,  as  ever,  against  a  sur- 
prise from  the  unknown  Indians.  The  governor,  the 
elder,  several  of  the  other  men  whose  wives  are  in 
the  boat,  two  or  three  of  the  younger  men  we  may 
see  in  the  grave  group  at  the  landing,  but  the  light 
of  expectancy  and  contentment  for  this  one  hour  at 
least,  glows  in  their  faces.  With  costumes  so  similar 
it  is  hard  to  distinguish  where  each  woman  is  placed 
in  the  shallop  and  to  single  out  a  special  one  for 
whom  a  man  may  be  looking.  At  the  bow  two  or 
three  are  grouped,  waving  to  their  welcomers,  their 
alertness  seeming  to  be  an  urge  to  the  little  craft. 
The  eager  children  are  held  from  crowding  forward 
as  they  near  the  shore.  An  instant  of  excitement, 
the  sailors  making  ready  to  fasten  the  boat,  it 
touches,  is  beside  the  rock;  the  woman  who  stood 
foremost  at  the  bow  on  the  way  over,  has  poised  her- 
self a  second  and  sprung  from  the  boat,  catching  at 
the  outstretched  hands  of  the  nearest  man,  to  steady 
her  foothold  on  the  slippery  stone;  the  keen  wind 
and  spray  have  dashed  color  in  her  cheeks,  the  bril- 
liancy of  sun  on  snow  is  reflected  in  her  eyes  —  a 
flashing  triumph  at  being  the  first  —  it  is  Mary 
Chilton.  Someone  has  said,  that  Plymouth  Rock 
began  with  her  its  fame,  but  for  her  and  for  the 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  91 

other  women,  quickly  following  her  to  clasp  the 
hands  of  the  men,  —  as  it  had  been  for  those  men  — 
it  became  for  them  the  threshold  into  Plymouth 
Colony.  Some  of  the  women  of  the  Mayflower  have 
not  gotten  so  far,  and  some  of  these  scarce  pass  the 
threshold. 

The  service  is  held,  as  planned;  once  more  they 
listen  to  the  uplifting  and  strengthening  words  ot* 
their  Elder.  Afterwards  some  return  to  the  May- 
flower, but  others  remain  with  their  husbands  on 
shore. 

The  work  on  the  other  houses  goes  forward  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  All  were  built  of  squared  logs, 
the  crevices  filled  with  clay,  the  roofs  a  thatch  of 
the  swamp  grass,  resembling  their  English  cottages 
in  this.  The  few  windows  have  only  oiled  paper  to 
resist  the  winter's  storms.  Each  house  is  set  on  a 
plot  of  ground  of  its  own  on  either  side  of  the 
street  —  the  location  for  each  family  being  decided 
by  lot.  Yet  building  by  men  cramped  with  rheuma- 
tism and  sciatica,  or  falling  down  from  weakness  as  a 
prelude  to  illness  and  death  is  not  a  rapid  business, 
and,  for  all  that  they  planned  at  first  to  live  as  com- 
pactly as  possible,  without  being  crowded,  the  unat- 
tached young  men  to  be  part  of  the  families  —  as 
they  had  been  in  Leyden  —  it  soon  became  evident 
that  many  houses  would  not  be  needed. 

In  less  than  a  week  after  the  first  visit  of  the  wo- 
men ashore,  not  all  the  prowess  of  Myles  Standish. 
hero  of  war  in  Flanders,  not  all  his  own  unending 
strength  and  endurance,  could  defend  his  Rose  from 


92  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

the  blight  of  illness  nor  shield  his  heart  from  the 
sharp  stab  of  sorrow.  She  had  dreamed  of  the  new 
home  in  a  land  of  fair  skies,  sunshine  and  flowers, 
not  this  region  of  snows;  she  knew  how  thin  and 
white  she  was  growing,  but  she  knew  that  her  hus- 
band had  not  ventured  on  any  vain  purpose,  and 
willed  to  be  brave  for  his  sake.  Her  high  resolves 
were  not  long  tested  however,  ere  she  gained  the 
reward  of  her  faith. 

Others  soon  followed  her,  and,  having  but  crossed 
the  threshold,  Ann  Tilly,  Mrs.  Martin,  little  Ellen 
More  and  Mary  Chilton's  mother  were  gone  from  the 
colony;  another  month  and  Mary  Allerton,  John 
Tilly's  wife,  Sarah  Eaton  and  the  sister-in-law  of 
Doctor  Fuller  (Mrs.  Edward  Fuller),  were  num- 
bered with  them.  Meanwhile,  Susanna  White  had 
become  a  widow,  and  Elizabeth  Tilly  an  orphan, 
with  Mary  Chilton,  and  soon  Priscilla  Mullins  was 
added  to  these  girls'  forlorn  state.  Alice  Rigdale 
and  her  husband;  Thomas  Tinker,  his  wife  and 
child,  needed  not  houses  nor  land  in  Plymouth.  Two 
of  the  More  boys  and  a  number  of  the  young  men 
fell  victims  in  the  great  mortality,  and  Sarah  Priest, 
in  Leyden,  was  a  widow,  though  nearly  a  year 
passed  before  she  knew  it.  A  little  later  and  Eliza- 
beth Winslow  slipped  from  the  gentle  hand  clasp 
of  Katherine  Carver,  to  join  her  other  dear  friend, 
Rose  Standish. 

Thus  twelve  wives  were  swept  away  by  this  fatal 
epidemic,  some  from  the  Mayflower,  some  from  the 
land.  Even  the  comfort  of  graves  bearing  their 


93 


names  which  should  tell  those  who  loved  them,  and 
others,  that  they  had  been  with  them,  was  denied 
them.  But  their  monument  is  the  hill  by  the  sea- 
shore, on  which  their  graves  were  made,  and  their 
remembrance  shall  last  as  long  as  mayflowers  blos- 
som. 

Prom  the  time  of  the  first  anchoring  of  the  ship 
(at  Cape  Cod)  of  the  total  of  the  twenty-five  women 
and  young  girls,  thirteen  were  released  from  their 
labors.  It  is  indeed  remarkable  that  even  twelve 
should  have  survived.  Into  the  hearts  of  those  re- 
covering from  their  own  illness,  the  spirit  of  desola- 
tion must  have  entered  for  a  time,  as  they  struggled 
to  their  feet  again,  to  grieve  for  those  who  were 
laid  to  rest  under  the  snow  and  to  take  up  the 
burdens  of  life  once  more.  Many  of  the  men  had 
gone,  too,  but  few  of  the  children. 

For  the  five  elder  women,  life,  even  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, still  was  worth  while.  The  governor's 
wife  had  the  loving  care  and  interest  of  all  but  two 
of  her  household's  original  numbers;  her  husband, 
her  young  ward,  her  maid  and  John  Rowland;  two 
of  the  other  young  men,  as  well  as  the  little  boy  she 
cared  for  on  the  voyage,  Jasper  More,  had  gone.  But 
deepest  grief  was  not,  as  yet,  her  portion.  Mary 
Brewster,  too,  was  strengthened  by  the  sight  of  her 
husband  untouched  by  illness  and  apparently  not 
weakened  by  the  terrific  work  and  strain  he  had  been 
under,  and  her  own  two  boys,  soon  helping  as  ably 
as  before,  and  even  Richard  More,  the  sole  survivor 
of  his  family,  was  already  one  of  her's.  For  Eliza- 


94:  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

beth  Hopkins  and  Eleanor  Billington  not  one  of 
their  own  particular  groups  were  gone.  But 
Susanna  White  had  left  only  her  own  two  children, 
her  nephew  and  her  brother — and  he,  of  course, 
seemed  to  belong  to  each  one  as  much  as  to  her. 

Humility  Cooper  and  Elizabeth  Tilly,  Priscilla 
Mullins  and  Mary  Chilton  were  indeed  the  most 
truly  alone,  each  one  being  the  sole  representative  of 
her  family. 

On  the  five  women  the  care  and  responsibility  fell 
heaviest,  though  the  girls  and  even  the  children  had 
their  share  in  the  general  division  of  labor.  Each 
served  while  there  was  nursing  to  be  done.  Cooking 
was  not  only  a  duty  but  a  serious  problem  in  finding 
the  wherewithal  to  tempt  failing  appetites  or  keep 
up  the  strength  of  the  men  and  children.  Who  can 
doubt  that  these  women  often  went  hungry  that  oth- 
ers might  have  more?  Scarce  wonderful  that  Mary 
Brewster  and  Katherine  Carver  never  regained  their 
full  health  again.  The  former  took  to  her  home  and 
mother  love  the  homeless  and  motherless  girls,  sadly 
missing  her  own  daughters,  so  far  away. 

Gradually  came  a  lessening  of  the  strain  of  appre- 
hension of  unknown  evils;  the  problem  of  the 
Indians  had  been  solved  on  the  day  that  they  heard 
the  word  ' '  welcome ' '  from  a  strange  voice,  and,  from 
then  on,  mutual  fear  diminished  between  their  im- 
mediate neighbors  in  the  forest  and  themselves,  and 
visits  from  these  strange  people  became  frequent  and 
helpful  as  well. 

The  day  of  the  making  of  another  covenant  was 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  95 

one  marked  by  color  and  animation  in  the  doleful 
monotony  of  those  early  months,  for  the  women  with 
strength  enough  for  interest.  Their  governor,  with 
all  the  formalities  of  his  office,  met  and  entertained 
the  sovereign  of  the  savages,  and  the  lively  music  of 
the  drum  and  trumpet,  the  firm  footsteps  of  the 
military  guard  quickened  their  spirits  and  brought 
a  sense  of  assurance.  The  green  rug,  on  which  roy- 
alty sat,  in  one  of  the  unfinished  houses,  must  always 
have  brought  back,  to  the  woman  who  owned  it,  that 
scene  and  its  results  —  the  lasting  treaty  of  mutual 
friendship  and  benefit.  That  other  rug  of  modern 
times,  on  which  the  Liberty  Bell  rested  at  the  Pana- 
ma-Pacific Exposition,  in  1915,  afterwards  used  at 
celebrations  connected  with  the  great  generals  of  the 
World  War,  is  interesting  but  not  more  important  in 
the  historical  part  it  has  played  than  the  rug  which 
we  now  see  in  fancy. 

Also  their  defense  from  their  fort  was  accom- 
plished, the  cannon  being  landed  and  dragged  up 
the  greater  hill,  to  the  summit,  and  a  strong  building 
erected  there.  Military  preparedness  began  as  soon 
as  the  men  were  able  to  drill,  under  command  of 
Myles  Standish,  their  chosen  Captain. 

Gradually,  also,  Spring  came,  the  children  found 
arbutus  and  other  early  flowers,  and  were  happy, 
though  their  search  might  not  take  them  far  from 
sound  of  the  home  voices,  as  the  fearsome  sound  of 
the  wolves  was  a  constant  warning.  Remember  and 
Mary  Allerton  and  Damaris  Hopkins  played  on  the 
beach  with  Constance,  Elizabeth  and  Humility,  and 


96  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

gathered  the  bright  shells  in  the  warm  sunshine  till 
the  pink  of  the  shells  and  arbutus  was  reflected  in 
their  cheeks.  The  sailors,  now  that  the  connection 
between  them  and  their  erstwhile  passengers  was 
soon  to  end  and  their  roughness  softened  by  the 
common  ills  of  the  winter,  were  glad  to  tell  tales  to 
amuse  the  children,  when  lingering  ashore. 

And,  so,  with  the  April  mildness  on  land  and  sea, 
came  the  last  night  when  the  lights  of  the  Mayflower 
shone  to  them  out  of  the  darkness.  On  the  morning 
of  its  departure,  how  visible  the  scene  is  to  us.  The 
women  watch  from  places  of  vantage,  in  groups  or 
singly,  in  company  with  some  men  or  with  the  child- 
ren clinging  to  them,  from  the  hill  beside  the  street, 
their  wistful  eyes  following  the  battered  sails  out  of 
the  harbor,  while  the  guns  from  the  Fort  ring  out 
in  parting  salute  the  farewell  to  their  ever-ready 
shelter,  to  the  only  connecting  link  between  them 
and  the  rest  of  their  race.  Each  one  has  been  asked 
a  question  all  have  had  plenty  of  time  to  consider 
well,  if  it  were  needed  to  repeat,  "shall  we,  shall  I 
go  back?"  Away  with  the  Mayflower  to  a  once 
familiar  life  from  unfamiliar  trials,  from  haunting 
memories  to  friends  or  relatives  left  on  the  other 
side  of  the  sea?  Each  woman  for  herself  has  an- 
swered "No."  The  venture  made  in  faith  by  those 
loved  and  gone  from  their  sight,  should  not  have 
been  made  in  vain ;  the  standard  formed  of  high  hope 
and  courage  should  not  go  down  while  they  were 
able  in  the  light  of  that  faith  and  remembrance  to 
carry  it  forward. 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  97 

Now  only  as  a  mirage  can  their  ship  be  seen  on  the 
far  horizon. 

Susanna  White,  clasping  her  baby  closer,  stands 
near  the  place  on  the  hill  where  the  body  of  William, 
her  husband,  had  been  laid ;  not  far  away  near  the 
grave  of  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  is  Edward  Winslow. 
Their  eyes,  though  seeing  each  other,  are  viewing 
things  far  away.  (Could  a  breath  from  the  lindens 
of  Leyden  be  wafted  to  them?)  In  that  moment 
arose  a  consciousness  of  an  unfelt  emotion  —  hith- 
erto drowned  by  selfishness  in  sorrow  —  pity. 

Mutual  shock  and  endurance  was  to  continue  for 
them  all  on  this  same  day.  To  shake  from  them  any 
idle  reflections,  the  men  worked  steadily  and  vigor- 
ously for  the  remaining  hours,  on  the  new  fields  and 
planting  of  seeds,  the  elder,  the  doctor,  the  governor, 
each  exerting  every  energy,  as  well  as  the  other  men 
and  boys.  The  day  proved  unusually  hot  and  the 
governor  seemed  to  feel  it  greatly.  Reaching  his 
home,  he  lay  down  to  rest,  but  while  his  family 
waited  upon  him  in  deep  concern,  he  lost  conscious- 
ness. Thus  not  only  was  the  harbor  dark  that  night, 
but  a  cloud  hung  over  Plymouth  and  common  anx- 
iety on  their  governor's  account  caused  the  depar- 
ture of  the  Mayflower  to  be  almost  forgotten.  But 
the  governor  was  worn  out,  not  with  that  day's  labor 
but  by  his  labors,  as  has  been  said,  "in  three  coun- 
tries and  on  the  sea,  as  counselor,  agent,  nurse, 
farmer,  magistrate  and  man  of  God,"  and,  in  spite 
of  their  efforts  and  distress,  consciousness  did  not 


98  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

return  ere  he  passed  from  them.  In  the  pathetic 
description,  by  his  successor,  "he  was  buried  in  the 
best  manner  they  could,  with  some  vollies  of  shot 
by  all  that  bore  arms,"  and  his  grave  left  smooth 
and  unmarked,  as  the  others  on  the  hill,  that  it 
might  not  appear  to  any  enemy  that  their  numbers 
were  lessened.  Though  the  office  of  governor  was 
filled,  the  first  lady  of  the  colony  had  no  successor, 
since  the  widower,  William  Bradford,  was  chosen. 
Her  anguish  of  grief  was  so  intense,  and  her  frail- 
ness grew  so  perceptably,  that  it  became  evident  her 
stay  with  them  was  but  transitory. 

And  again,  as  in  Leyden,  the  doctor's  sister  kept 
the  home  for  him;  but  there  were  more  members  in 
the  family  than  in  those  by-gone  days,  for  Susanna 
had  three  little  lads  to  care  for  now,  and  the  doctor 
three  small  nephews  to  play  with.  Let  us  follow  the 
bright  rays  of  the  sunset  into  their  cottage  on  a  May 
evening.  Supper  is  over,  and  now  is  little  Pere- 
grine's bedtime.  His  mother  is  gently  rocking  the 
cradle,  as  she  mends  his  brother's  stockings,  glanc- 
ing now  and  then  at  the  smiling  but  sleepy  baby 
and  urging  him  in  softest  baby  language  to  accom- 
pany the  "sandman"  without  further  delay;  but 
Peregrine's  ambition  seems  to  be  to  stay  awake  on 
this  bright  particular  evening  and  he  coos  and 
laughs  in  response  to  his  mother's  admonitions.  His 
brother  and  cousin  are  romping  just  outside  the 
front  door  and  Resolved  runs  in  to  get  the  cane  that 
had  been  his  father's,  to  play  horse  with.  Susanna 


99 


sits  on  a  bench  beneath  the  little  square  window, 
which  swings  open  with  its  paper  pane,  and  the 
breeze  which  enters  plays  with  the  soft,  curly  ten- 
drils of  her  hair;  beside  her  on  the  bench  stands  the 
little  chest  of  drawers  which  has  ever  held  her 
sewing  articles  and  trinkets  since  William  White 
gave  it  to  her  when  they  were  married.  A  shadow 
falls  across  the  light  and  men's  voices  come  to  her 
as  her  brother  passes  with  a  friend,  returning  from 
a  stroll  to  enjoy  a  smoke  by  the  cottage  door.  Twi- 
light is  fast  failing  now ;  the  baby  is  at  last  asleep ; 
Susanna  softly  puts  away  her  sewing  and  goes  into 
the  living-room,  adjoining,  to  light  a  candle  at  the 
fire-place;  she  then  stands  in  the  doorway  to  call  in 
Resolved  and  Samuel,  as  she  does  each  evening;  she 
sees  her  brother  and  his  friend  on  the  doorstep 
bench,  also  quite  a  regular  occurrence  about  this 
hour,  and  Edward  Winslow  rises  in  his  courtly  man- 
ner to  receive  her  smile  of  greeting.  In  the  few  weeks 
since  the  sailing  of  the  Mayflower,  her  pity  and  sym- 
pathy have  unconsciously  awakened  an  interest 
which  is  now  slowly  dawning  in  some  wonderment 
upon  her,  while  for  Winslow  he  had  already  ques- 
tioned himself  if  she  would  be  willing  to  let  him  take 
William  White's  place,  and  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
she  could  fill  the  vacancy  left  at  his  hearth-stone  by 
Elizabeth?  He  thought  he  knew  the  answer  to  the 
second  question,  but  for  the  first  sought  her  reply. 
That  Edward  Winslow,  talented,  aristocratic,  of 
good  family  and  of  some  wealth,  should  admire  her, 
pictures  Susanna  for  us  almost  as  plainly  as  his 


100  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

painted  portrait  represents  him.  We  have  not  the 
slight  details  of  her  features,  but  in  fancying  her 
with  the  light  brown  hair,  blue  eyes  and  pink  and 
white  skin  of  a  young  English  mother  in  her  twen- 
ties, we  cannot  be  far  wrong;  and  for  character,  the 
reflections  of  her  life  and  times  show  us  that  which 
certified  the  regard  of  all  who  knew  her  and  gives 
her  to  ours.  Her  good  sense  ever  caused  her  accept- 
ance of  facts  and  prompt  adjustment  of  her  life  to 
the  conditions  imposed  upon  it  by  circumstances. 
By  her  intelligence  and  resourcefulness  she  was 
saved  from  the  dissipation  of  despondency,  devoting 
her  physical  and  mental  energies  to  making  the  best 
of  the  situation  in  which  she  found  herself.  With 
courage  she  contemplated  the  present  and  took 
thought  of  and  measured  the  possibilities  of  the  fu- 
ture. Her  cheerfulness  and  adaptibility  to  the 
inevitable  in  meeting  her  serious  problems  won  her 
a  victory  over  them  and  greatly  increased  her  own 
pleasure  in  living  and  unquestionably  added  to  the 
pleasure  of  others.  She  had  had  advantages  of  com- 
fortable circumstances  always  —  more  than  some  and 
as  much  as  few  of  the  pilgrim  women  had;  her 
brother,  her  husband,  were  men  of  education  and 
breeding,  such  also  the  men  of  the  families  of  her 
nearest  friends. 

Edward  Winslow,  doing  always  the  unexpected, 
but  always  pleasing  himself,  soon  found  the  oppor- 
tunity of  settling  the  question  in  his  thoughts. 
Shortly  thereafter  Mary  Brewster  again  played  con- 
fident to  a  neighbor.  When  the  bans  were  published 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  101 

at  the  next  Sunday  service,  announcing  such  an  item 
of  interest  in  the  lonely,  quiet  existence  of  the  com- 
munity, any  surprise  was  soon  dissolved  for  most, 
by  their  regard  for  the  principals.  Before  May 
was  over,  the  simple  ceremony  took  place,  performed 
by  the  governor,  as  magistrate,  as  he  himself  has 
recorded,  "after  the  fashion  of  the  Low  Countries," 
and  the  first  bride  of  the  colony  appears  before  us. 
Anna  Fuller  whom  we  first  knew  in  Leyden,  there 
becoming  Susanna  White,  now  changes,  as  far  as 
name  goes,  into  the  second  Mistress  Winslow  of 
Plymouth  and  before  her  stretch  long  years  of  pros- 
perity. And  contentment  and  happiness?  Yes, 
such  as  a  woman  like  her  will  always  seek  and  find. 
Natural  curiosity  ever  alert  at  a  time  of  a  wedding 
is  sadly  checked  for  us,  by  dearth  of  description  or 
detail  of  this  one,  so  full  of  an  unusual  interest.  The 
old  friend  Mary  Brewster,  was  surely  witness  for 
the  bride,  and  her  brother,  the  doctor;  while  the 
elder,  as  properly,  was  witness  for  the  groom,  and 
Isaac  Allerton,  doubtless,  as  assistant.  But  what 
repast  Mary  Chilton,  Priscilla  Mullins  and  Eliza- 
beth Tilly,  reinforced  by  the  culinary  skill  of  Mis- 
tress Hopkins,  prepared  for  the  newly  married 
couple,  or  who  were  of  the  wedding  guests  who  par- 
took, or  whether  at  her  house  or  his,  we  have  no 
record.  We  know  simplicity  was  the  keynote,  as 
complying  both  with  the  Pilgrim  opinion  and  the 
necessity  caused  by  conditions.  It  was  an  important 
day  for  the  bride  and  for  the  young  girls,  who  were 
gladly  stirred  by  the  event  into  a  remembrance  of 


102 


romance  and  a  brighter  side  of  life,  forgotten  for 
many  a  day.  It  even  aroused  Katherine  Carver 
from  her  lethargy  of  grief  into  a  wondering  atten- 
tion when  Elizabeth  Tilly  gave  to  Desire  Minter  all 
the  details  in  her  possession,  which  we  gladly  would 
glean  also,  if  we  could.  However,  the  date  appears 
upon  the  page  of  Plymouth  history  like  an  illumin- 
ated initial  letter,  for  it  marks  the  beginning  of  a 
more  normal  life.  The  dark  days  since  their  arrival 
which  seemed  emphasized  only  by  sickness  and  death 
and  hunger  and  cold,  had  passed. 

The  summer  thus  ushered  in,  brought  its  herbs 
for  salad  and  medicine,  its  wild  fruits  and  berries 
of  many  varieties,  its  fish  and  game,  also  roses  to 
gladden  their  eyes,  fragrant  and  colorful,  and,  ow- 
ing to  the  friendliness  and  good  understanding  with 
the  Indians,  the  colonists  might  walk  in  the  woods 
round  about  their  homes  as  in  the  highways  of 
England.  The  two  Indians  called  Squanto  and 
Hobomok,  who  attached  themselves  permanently  to 
the  colony,  showed  them  many  things  of  advantage 
in  the  way  of  agriculture  and  home  crafts  which  the 
women  were  as  glad  to  learn  as  the  men. 

About  six  weeks  after  their  marriage,  Susanna 
Winslow  bade  her  husband  the  first  of  the  many 
farewells  she  would  experience  in  the  coming  days, 
because  of  his  frequent  journeys  in  the  cause  of  the 
colony.  He  was  now  to  seek  the  great  Indian  chief, 
Massasoit,  with  whom  the  treaty  had  been  made,  a 
few  months  before,  and  the  governor  had  selected 
him  and  Stephen  Hopkins  for  this  necessary  visit. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  103 

The  walk  through  the  woods  was  long  and  tiresome 
and  consumed  more  than  a  week,  but  the  object  of 
their  journey  was  accomplished.  Susanna  Winslow 
and  Elizabeth  Hopkins,  awaiting  in  some  natural 
anxiety  at  home  for  their  return,  or  news  of  them, 
must  have  been  somewhat  startled  the  day  the  gov- 
ernor sent  them  the  message  he  had  just  received  by 
an  Indian  runner,  that  their  husbands  were  nearly 
starving  and  struggling  homeward,  exhausted. 
These  two  wives  hastily  despatched  food  by  the  In- 
dian, to  meet  them  at  a  certain  place,  and  had  an 
abundant  supper  in  readiness  on  the  rainy  evening 
of  their  return. 

Soon  after  this,  the  upsetting  occurrence  of  a  lost 
child  came  upon  them,  and  Eleanor  Billington  had 
the  sympathy  of  the  mothers  because  one  of  her  boys 
had  been  too  venturesome  in  the  woods  and  strayed 
away.  He  was  found  by  the  Indians  miles  from 
Plymouth  and  word  being  brought  of  this,  the  gov- 
ernor sent  a  boat  to  the  place  of  the  Indian  encamp- 
ment which  brought  the  boy  back,  no  worse  for  his 
adventure,  so  this  excitement  passed.  Expeditions 
among  the  Indians  became  necessary,  both  of  force- 
ful and  peaceful  intent,  which  made  recurring 
anxiety  for  the  women,  until  the  men  had  safely 
returned. 

At  the  close  of  the  summer,  once  again  sorrow 
filled  their  hearts,  as  one  more  of  their  number  went 
from  the  friends  who  loved  her.  It  was  the  only 
happiness  left  for  Katherine  Carver  to  follow  her 
husband  out  of  this  world,  which  no  longer  con- 


104  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

tained  anything  of  interest  to  her  and  the  future  no 
hope  strong  enough  to  relieve  her  broken  heart.  So, 
lovely  and  lamented,  she  was  laid  to  rest  on  the  hill 
by  the  shore,  where  so  many  others  of  their  brave 
and  fair  were  sleeping.  This  left  but  two  of  the 
married  women  who  had  left  Leyden  together: 
Mary  Brewster  and  Susanna  Winslow.  But  the 
number  of  the  girls  remained  complete. 

The  first  anniversary  of  their  sailing  from  old 
Plymouth,  came  and  went.  The  survivors  of  that 
day's  company  on  the  ship  must  have  observed  it 
with  many  thoughts.  These  September  days  were 
busy  ones,  indeed,  as  preparations  to  meet  the  com- 
ing winter  began.  Their  Spring  planting  had  been 
successful  in  all  except  peas,  and  their  harvest  of 
corn  was  abundant.  The  wild  grapes  were  made 
into  wine,  the  corn  pounded  into  meal,  each  house- 
hold a  veritable  hive  of  workers ;  while  the  wear  and 
tear  on  their  clothes  must  be  repaired  and  new  gar- 
ments made,  or  purchased  when  strictly  necessary, 
from  the  supply  stored  in  the  Common  House. 

But  an  interval  occurred  in  this  routine  and  it 
may  be  introduced  to  us  by  a  picture  of  the  living- 
room  in  the  Brewster  house,  by  candle  light,  which 
contains  all  the  women  of  the  colony  in  earnest  dis- 
cussion. This  conclave  is  caused  by  the  recent  sug- 
gestion of  the  governor  that  in  view  of  the  fact  of 
their  successful  harvest,  and  renewed  health,  a 
period  of  recreation  should  be  planned  and  enjoyed 
by  all;  games,  feasting,  mirth  and  frolic,  a  combina- 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  105 

tion  of  festivities  of  both  England  and  Holland 
with  which  they  were  familiar,  and  not  only  were 
preparations  to  be  for  themselves  but  for  guests  — 
Chief  Massasoit  and  many  of  his  warriors  were  to 
be  invited,  with  no  doubt  at  all  of  their  acceptance. 
Many  of  the  men  had  been  hunting  that  day  to  pro- 
vide the  game,  and  the  results  were  enough  to  last 
a  week.  It  was  not  questions  of  what  to  provide, 
but  how  much  of  everything  would  be  needed,  an-1 
which  of  them  would  prepare  and  roast  the  wild 
turkeys,  who  boil  the  fish,  who  make  sauces  and  side 
dishes  or  cook  vegetables,  who  bake,  who  make  the 
salads,  and  all  the  other  necessary  plans  for  cooks 
who  are  hostesses,  and  hostesses  who  are  cooks.  The 
problem  has  a  familiar  appearance  to  many  of  us 
in  our  own  day.  Favorite  receipts  were  compared, 
and  whoever  excelled  in  a  certain  thing  was  to  have 
charge  of  that  supply.  All  were  good  cooks  so  it 
was  a  case  of  friendly  emulation  and  rivalry  in  this 
novel  experience,  with  which  each  housekeeper  re- 
tired that  night,  after  they  had  talked  and  planned 
to  their  satisfaction.  More  than  a  hundred  to  be 
provided  for  over  a  three  day  period,  and  eleven 
women  and  young  girls  to  see  it  through;  even  the 
littlest  girls,  Remember  and  Mary  Allerton  and 
Damaris  Hopkins  had  to  help,  and  of  course  the 
men  did  their  share  in  keeping  the  great  fires  burn- 
ing and  dressing  the  game,  and  the  boys  in  carrying 
water  from  the  brook.  Every  iron  kettle,  every  long 
and  short  legged  pot  and  pan,  every  wooden  bowl 
and  leathern  bottle,  every  pewter  dish,  with  hooks, 


106  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

spits  and  trivets  were  in  use ;  wooden  cups  or  gourds 
to  drink  from,  and  knives  and  napkins.  The  only 
forks  were  the  long-handled  iron  ones  for  cooking 
purposes,  their  use  for  the  table  was  not  known, 
their  service  was  supplied  by  napkins  and  spoons. 

The  Indians  arrived  and  encamped  around  the 
street,  thoughtfully  bringing  a  large  supply  of  veni- 
son to  add  to  the  bill  of  fare.  The  cooks  and  wait- 
resses in  whitest  of  linen  caps,  kerchiefs  and  aprons, 
with  short  woolen  skirts  and  buckled  shoes,  had 
many  steps  to  take  to  serve  the  banqueters  seated  at 
the  great  tables  erected  in  front  of  the  houses;  and 
when  the  men  were  having  their  contests  of  shooting 
or  games,  they  cleared  away  or  looked  on  at  the 
entertainment  as  they  could.  They  and  the  children, 
in  sampling  the  products  of  their  cooking  or  taking 
a  mouthful,  now  and  then,  were  kept  from  being 
hungry  in  the  midst  of  plenty  by  being  too  busy 
to  eat. 

The  long  shadows  of  the  third  day  saw  the  end  of 
the  event.  And  was  the  first  American  "block 
party"  a  success?  We  may  say  that  it  was.  And 
were  the  women  tired?  We  will  agree  to  that  also. 
But  the  men  were  pleased,  the  children  happy,  and 
one  recovers  quickly  from  the  fatigue  of  gratifying 
achievement.  Thus  was  their  public  thanksgiving 
celebrated,  by  order  of  the  governor. 

On  a  November  day  some  weeks  later,  household 
tasks  were  going  as  usual;  many  of  the  men  were 
gathering  the  last  of  the  harvest,  others  getting  in 
the  winter's  supply  of  wood.  We  may  see  Mistress 


107 


Brewster  in  her  kitchen  distilling  herbs  and  witch- 
hazel  for  domestic  medicines,  as  was  the  custom  of 
each  housewife,  that  Dr.  Fuller's  supply  might  not 
be  too  freely  drained.  She  has  the  help  and  com- 
pany of  Mary  Chilton  this  afternoon  —  both  uncon- 
scious of  any  special  interest  that  the  day  may 
bring  to  them  especially,  before  its  close,  yet  the 
unexpected  was  as  often  happening  then  as  now. 
Priscilla  and  Elizabeth  had  taken  Desire  Minter  on 
a  search  for  more  sassafras,  hoping  to  entertain  and 
amuse  the  listless  girl,  who,  since  Mrs.  Carver's 
death,  seemed  to  grow  each  day  more  unhappy.  The 
two  Marys  are  talking  of  the  return  voyage  of  the 
Mayflower  —  how  long  it  might  have  been  or  how 
short  —  and  if  their  friends  in  England  and  Hol- 
land had  received  the  many  letters  and  messages 
taken  back  by  the  Captain.  Suddenly  they  are 
startled  by  the  sound  of  the  gun  from  the  fort! 
Another  shot !  They  are  in  the  street  now  and  like- 
wise every  woman  and  child  —  it  is  the  signal  for 
assembly  —  and  the  men  may  be  seen  hurrying  from 
the  woods  and  fields.  The  Governor  accompanied  by 
the  Captain  and  an  Indian  runner  are  rapidly 
descending  the  hill  from  the  fort,  both  looking  espe- 
cially determined.  The  news  is  soon  in  possession  of 
all.  A  ship  has  entered  Cape  Cod  harbor  —  seen 
by  the  Indians  and  word  brought  at  once  to  Plym- 
outh! Surprise  and  suspense  were  but  some  of  the 
feelings  this  news  aroused.  They  had  been  seven 
months  without  sight  or  sound  of  the  world  beyond 
their  little  settlement  and  its  woodland  neighbors. 


108  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

It  would  have  to  be  Spring  before  a  friendly  ship 
could  be  expected  to  find  them  (for  newcomers 
could  not  live  in  comfort  or  be  of  use  till  then)  and 
as  England  and  France  were  on  far  from  friendly 
terms,  this  might  be  a  ship  of  the  latter  nationality, 
seeking  them  with  hostile  intent.  But  preparedness 
was  ever  their  daily  thought  and  ability  to  cope  with 
any  emergency.  Thus  the  Captain's  little  army  of 
defense,  twenty  men,  was  soon  marshalled  and  ready 
—  none  without  a  gun  in  hand  —  to  protect  their 
women,  children  and  homes  to  the  last  man. 

Mary  Brewster  sees  her  husband  in  the  front  rank, 
of  course.  He  can  fight  as  ardently  as  pray,  if 
necessary,  and  while  wishing  that  an  enemy  might 
be  converted  and  enjoy  life,  if  that  were  impossible, 
then  no  question  of  who  should  fire  first.  The  Cap- 
tain had  no  weaklings  in  his  command,  even  the  boys 
and  younger  men  were  heroes  with  such  leaders. 
Their  eyes  sharpened  by  expectancy  and  uncer- 
tainty, soon  discern  the  stranger's  sails,  even  as  the 
lookout  from  the  fort  calls  out  the  fact  that  it  is  in 
view.  Intently  they  wait  and  watch,  when,  behold, 
before  their  astonished  eyes,  the  flag  of  England  is 
flung  out  in  greeting!  Relief  and  amazement  run 
a  race  in  their  minds.  The  ship  is  smaller  than  the 
Speedwell.  The  first  boat  puts  out,  making  straight 
for  the  men  drawn  up  on  the  seashore.  In  their  in- 
credulity they  can  scarce  recognize,  can  scarce 
believe,  what  they  see:  Robert  Cushman  grasping: 
the  hands  of  Brewster  and  Bradford ;  John  Winslow 
seizing  his  brother  Gilbert's  shoulders:  Jonathan 


109 


Brewster  being  sprung  upon  by  his  brothers,  from 
the  ranks,  and  then  Thomas  Prence  just  behind  him. 

Such  confusion  and  laughter,  such  embraces  and 
tears  of  joy  as  the  women,  realizing  the  situation, 
come  running  down  the  street  to  meet  the  crowd 
coming  from  the  water's  edge. 

And  in  another  boat  come  two  women,  friends 
from  Leyden,  the  wridow  Ford  and  her  children  and 
Mistress  Basset.  The  relief  of  the  newcomers  was 
quite  equal  to  that  of  the  Plymouth  people,  but  for 
a  different  reason.  Not  finding  any  signs  of  habita- 
tion in  the  first  harbor  of  their  search,  they  feared 
that  all  survivors  had  died  or  been  killed  by  Indians, 
and  as  in  their  long  voyage  of  four  months  they  had 
consumed  about  all  of  their  provisions,  they  feared 
starvation  for  themselves.  All  were  in  good  health, 
with  good  appetites  and  spirits  and  as  soon  as  their 
apprehension  was  dispelled,  at  sight  of  their  friends 
and  their  plentiful  supply  of  food,  gaiety  reigned. 
The  problem  of  housing  for  these  thirty-five  new- 
comers was  finally  settled  by  nightfall,  each  house- 
keeper putting  up  with  some  crowding  to  take  in 
several,  and  the  Common  House  once  more  giving 
shelter.  What  welcome  of  friends  and  relatives, 
what  interest  at  news  from  others,  the  ensuing  hours 
saw;  what  joyful  supper  parties  that  evening! 

Thus  the  isolation  of  Plymouth  was  broken.  The 
sails  of  the  Fortune  had  brought  them  once  again 
the  touch  of  the  outside  world. 

By  daylight,  another  young  lady  had  joined  the 
colony,  and  Martha  Ford  opened  her  eyes,  on  the 


110 


first  morning  of  her  life,  in  Plymouth.  Just  why 
her  mother  should  have  come  across  the  ocean  at 
this  time  is  not  clear  to  us.  She  was  a  widow  and 
evidently  of  some  means  to  be  able  to  bring  all  her 
children  with  her.  We  may  suppose,  without 
stretching  the  bounds  of  probability,  that  her  hus- 
band had  been  preparing  to  bring  his  family  to  the 
new  colony,  and  that,  after  his  sudden  death,  she 
carried  out  the  plans. 

The  Fortune  remained  two  weeks,  and  lively 
weeks  to  get  her  well  laden  with  the  first  exports  of 
the  colony,  furs,  lumber  and  sassafras  making  a  rich 
invoice.  Letters  were  written  —  letters  of  enthus- 
iastic description;  letters  of  encouragement  to  join 
the  life  of  the  New  "World ;  letters  of  advice,  and  let- 
ters replying  to  those  received,  for  many  words  of 
sympathy  had  been  sent  in  response  to  the  dreary 
news  brought  back  by  the  Mayflower.  There  was  a 
particular  letter  from  the  governor  (one  of  sym- 
pathy, also)  to  Mistress  Alice  Southworth,  in  Lon- 
don, since  Robert  Cushman  brought  the  news  of  her 
recent  widowhood. 

Robert  Cushman  had  come  especially  as  emissary 
from  the  merchants  who  had  underwritten  the  Pil- 
grims, and  to  see  for  himself  in  what  condition  they 
were,  for  report  at  home.  He  was  so  pleased  with 
what  he  experienced,  however,  that  he  planned  a 
permanent  stay  at  a  future  day,  and  left  his  young 
son,  who  had  accompanied  him,  with  the  governor. 

So  the  Fortune  was  ready  to  sail,  and  by  her 
departure,  was  to  make  one  more  break  in  the  ranks 


Ill 


of  the  women,  since  Desire  Minter  chose  to  go  back 
in  her,  to  her  friends  in  England,  under  charge  of 
Kobert  Cushman.  Her  health  and  spirits  had  so 
failed  that  it  was  considered  the  best  thing  for  her; 
thus  another  blank  was  made  in  the  life  of  Elizabeth 
Tilly,  who  had  found  in  Desire  a  dear  friend  —  and 
in  whose  heart  she  was  never  forgotten.  Perhaps 
Desire  already  forsaw  that  her  place  would  soon  be 
taken  and  knew  that  she  would  leave  little  Elizabeth 
in  good  hands.  As  the  Fortune  sailed  out  of  the 
harbor,  we  may  see  John  Rowland  near  Elizabeth 
with  his  protective  look  and  ready,  encouraging 
smile. 

This  little  ship  did  not  receive  benefit  from  her 
name,  for  fortune  proved  unkind.  A  French  man- 
of-war,  lying  near  the  coast  of  England,  captured 
her  and  took  all  on  board  prisoners  to  a  French 
island,  where  for  more  than  a  fortnight  they  were 
detained.  However  the  ship  and  passengers  were 
then  released  and  reached  England  —  but  the  val- 
uable cargo  and  letters  were  spoils  of  war.  So  Alice 
Southworth  never  received  the  governor's  letter, 
but  the  fact  of  its  having  been  sent  was  reported  to 
her  by  her  friend,  Robert  Cushman.  Indeed  the 
various  items  of  news  he  brought  were  of  interest  to 
many. 

But  Desire,  if  she  had  only  written  of  her  experi- 
ences, or  caused  them  to  be  written !  Her  experiences 
as  a  woman  of  the  Mayflower,  as  a  woman  of  Plym- 
outh Colony,  her  experiences  in  leaving  the  latter 
for  an  English  home  —  with  her  war  adventure  as 


112 


an  extra  detail.  What  material  she  had  and  of  what 
value  for  the  world  to  read.  She  would  have  been 
a  rival  historian  of  Bradford  and  Winslow,  for 
posterity.  But  of  course  such  a  thought  never 
occurred  to  her.  She  was  a  woman  —  and  a  woman 
could  not  be  independent  in  the  society  of  that  day, 
which  was  an  exclusively  masculine  society  and  with 
a  system  by  which  feminine  conduct  was  judged 
from  a  masculine  point  of  view.  About  two  hundred 
and  fifty  years  elapsed  before  any  other  point  of 
view  was  deemed  possible.  And  Desire  Minter  was 
far  from  being  the  first  of  her  sex  to  question.  In 
due  time  word  was  brought  to  Plymouth  that  she 
had  reached  her  friends,  and,  later  on,  that  her  brief, 
but  not  uneventful  life  was  over.  Somewhere  Eng- 
lish roses  bloom  o'er  her  grave;  an  interesting  pil- 
grimage, if  its  location  were  known,  as  a  remem- 
brance of  the  first  woman  of  the  Mayflower  and  of 
Plymouth  Colony  to  return  to  her  early  home. 

Meanwhile,  before  Plymouth  knew  aught  of  what 
had  happened  to  the  Fortune,  much  happened 
there.  While  pleasure  in  the  company  of  the  new- 
comers lasted,  supplies  did  not,  and  their  bubble  of 
joy  was  soon  broken.  The  Fortune  brought  no  food, 
and  thirty-odd  extra  people,  mostly  men,  to  provide 
for,  was  a  serious  problem.  So  their  second  winter 
was  a  hard  one  to  get  through,  with  little  to  eat  — 
half  rations  only  —  and  resultant  weakness  (though 
fortunately  no  sickness)  scarce  enabled  them  to  im- 
prove their  condition.  Nevertheless,  owing  to  the 
threatening  attitude  of  some  of  the  distant  Indians, 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  113 

a  protecting  wall  of  lumber  was  built  around  the 
town.  The  street  ran  from  the  rock  to  the  battle- 
ment ota  the  greater  hill,  but  some  houses  were 
erected  at  a  different  angle  which  indicated  another 
street  for  the  near  future  —  to  be  called  the  High- 
way —  and  the  square  came  into  view. 

In  Spring,  the  women,  in  addition  to  household 
duties,  helped  plant,  the  children  also  —  though  for 
them  more  of  a  pleasure  than  for  their  mothers, 
struggling  with  the  problems  of  supply  and  demand 
in  food  and  clothes. 

On  an  April  day,  after  the  planting,  an  episode 
occurred  which  brings  before  us  for  the  first  time, 
a  woman  not  hitherto  distinctly  in  the  picture.  The 
Indian  squaws  occasionally  came  to  Plymouth  and 
were  a  help  or  a  bother,  according  to  their  personal- 
ity, to  the  women  of  the  colony.  One,  however,  had 
such  agreeable  characteristics  that  she  was  consid- 
ered a  desirable  member  of  the  community.  Her 
husband,  Hobomok,  was  the  colony's  trusted  inter- 
preter and  permanent  resident.  On  this  day,  we  see 
the  mothers  of  the  smallest  children,  Susanna  Wins- 
low,  Martha  Ford  and  Elizabeth  Hopkins,  assembled 
in  Mistress  Hopkins'  big  kitchen,  learning  from 
Hobomok 's  wife  the  craft  of  moccasin  making;  th? 
soft  foot-coverings  were  both  comfortable  and  warm 
for  the  babies.  But  the  lesson  is  interrupted  and 
Hobomok  takes  his  wife  away,  saying  that  the  gov- 
ernor wants  her.  The  surprise  of  the  women  is  less- 
ened only  by  apprehension  when  they  later  learn 
that  she  had  been  sent  on  a  mission  which  none  of 


114  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

them  could  have  performed,  nor  was  a  man  of  theirs 
able  to  cope  with  its  delicacy,  not  even  Hobomok. 
This  peculiar  circumstance  was  caused  by  Squanto, 
their  other  trusted  interpreter  and  friend.  He  had 
stated  that  all  was  not  well  with  their  Indian  allies 
and  that  Massasoit  was  treacherously  planning  with 
the  Narragansetts  to  exterminate  them.  The  quali- 
fications of  Hobomok 's  wife  were  at  once  apparent 
to  the  men  in  consultation  over  this  news,  which 
Hobomok  insistently  declared  could  not  be  true.  She 
was  instructed,  therefore,  under  guise  of  a  casual 
visitor,  to  go  to  Massasoit's  camp  and  learn  what 
she  could.  Her  return  was  anxiously  awaited.  She 
accomplished  her  errand  in  a  most  satisfactory  and 
creditable  manner,  and  her  information  relieved 
them  of  alarm. 

Another  year  passed,  with  a  not  very  succesful 
harvest;  uncertain  Indian  affairs,  and  the  arrival  of 
boats  bringing  letters,  even  visitors  but  no  supplies 
or  friends  or  families  —  the  Merchants  and  even 
Kobert  Cushman  seemed  to  fail  them. 

Some  of  the  boats  brought  men  whom  they  sup- 
ported for  a  time  from  their  scanty  supply,  who  had 
come  out  to  establish  another  colony  on  the  coast  and 
who  requited  their  kindness  by  ingratitude  and 
scorn  for  a  settlement  having  women.  Another  boat, 
however,  was  more  acceptable  as  proving  they  had 
friends  in  need,  though  unknown,  for  by  it  word  was 
brought  of  a  massacre  of  Virginia  colonists  by  the 
Indians.  From  this  same  kind-hearted  ship  captain, 
John  Huddleston,  Edward  Winslow  —  who  visited 


115 


him  to  extend  the  colony 's  thanks  for  the  warning  — 
was  able  to  procure  some  provisions,  of  which  they 
were  greatly  in  need,  and  thereby  increased  their 
bread  allowance  to  a  quarter  of  a  pound  a  day. 
Prom  this  warning  also  they  proceeded  to  build  a 
stronger  and  larger  fort,  one  part  being  planned  for 
a  place  of  worship. 

A  trading  ship  coming  in,  made  them  pay  exorbi- 
tantly for  their  needs  seeing  how  greatly  they  lacked 
them.  On  this  ship,  however,  was  a  gentleman  who 
was  returning  to  England  from  Virginia.  He  made 
the  acquaintance  of  the  Plymouth  people  while  the 
ship  was  in  the  harbor,  and  that  he  was  a  welcome 
visitor  to  the  Brewster  household  is  told  by  a  letter 
he  later  sent  to  Governor  Bradford  saying  how  he 
had  enjoyed  Mr.  Brewster 's  books.  A  man  of  like 
tastes,  evidently,  and  his  passing  acquaintance  a 
pleasant  incident  to  them. 

The  autumn  and  winter  were  punctuated  by  trips 
taken  by  the  governor  and  some  of  the  other  men, 
with  Squanto,  in  search  of  camps  where  the  Indians 
would  sell  corn,  as  their  own  harvest  was  far  from 
being  enough  to  keep  them  until  the  next.  On  one 
of  these  expeditions,  Squanto  died. 

As  planting  time  approached,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  next  harvest  must  produce  a  much  greater 
amount,  to  avoid  the  dangers  of  starvation  which 
they  were  then  enduring,  the  governor,  in  consulta- 
tion, decided  to  divide  the  land  into  personal  hold- 
ings, instead  of  all  lands  being  worked  for  and  held 
by  the  community.  This  new  plan  quickly  grew 


116  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

increased  enthusiasm  for  planting  and  culture,  since 
emulation  and  friendly  contests  for  success  began. 
Mary  Chilton  and  Humility  Cooper  were  each  given 
an  acre,  and  the  attention  those  acres  received  was 
not  less  than  any  other.  To  work  in  one's  very  own 
soil  was  pleasure  as  well  as  profit,  discounting  the 
fatigue. 

At  this  time,  also,  the  women  had  a  particularly 
choice  bit  of  satisfaction.  No  less  than  the  total 
disestablishment  and  wreck  of  the  colony  which  the 
men  had  come  to  plant  who  had  accepted  hospitality 
from  the  Plymouth  people,  when  they  arrived,  and 
so  discourteously  returned  it  by  ridiculing  a  settle- 
ment which  contained  women.  Appeals  for  help 
from  them  were  received,  and  with  usual  generosity 
were  granted,  to  enable  them  to  keep  their  lives  from 
starvation  and  the  Indians,  and  to  leave  that  coun- 
try. 

Plymouth  had  but  six  matrons;  and  the  young 
woman  who  had  been  maid  to  Mrs.  Carver,  and  four 
young  girls,  Priscilla,  Mary,  Elizabeth  and  Humility, 
with  Remember  Allerton  and  Constance  Hopkins 
fast  leaving  childhood  in  the  responsibilities  of  this 
difficult  life.  With  so  many  single  men  the  widow 
and  the  girls  could  have  a  half  dozen  at  command  in 
an  instant,  while  Mary  Brewster  had  four  strong 
right  arms  to  rely  on,  her  husband  and  three  sons; 
Susanna  Winslow  the  hands  of  her  husband,  brother 
and  brothers-in-law,  Gilbert  and  John,  at  need.  Re- 
member and  Constance  had  each  a  brother  to  call 
upon  and  the  other  two  married  women,  husbands 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  117 

and  sons.  Nevertheless,  no  one  would  care  to  deny 
that  the  twenty-four  hours  of  the  day  of  these  loyal 
and  efficient  members  of  the  company  were  not  as 
heavily  laden  as  those  of  the  men,  nor  that  their 
efforts  in  sustaining  the  struggling  community  were 
not  as  valuable  in  the  final  results. 

"They  made   the  home  and  kept  the   hearth  fires 

burning ; 

They  spun  and  wove  and  tilled  the  barren  soil ; 
They  met  each  day's  return  with  patient  trusting 
And  murmured  not  through  all  the  weary  toil." 


THE  BRIDE  SHIP. 


THE  BRIDE  SHIP. 

Massasoit  was  ill  —  very  ill,  and  a  Dutch  ship  had 
run  aground  near  his  encampment.  This  news, 
brought  by  runners,  caused  Winslow  to  again  leave 
his  family  and  penetrate  the  forests  to  visit  the 
Chief,  as  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  special  friend  of 
Massasoit,  and  could  speak  Dutch.  It  was  about  a 
year  from  the  time  when  Hobomok's  wife  went  over 
the  trail  on  her  diplomatic  errand.  The  Dutch  ship 
had  gotten  away,  but  Massasoit  was  decidedly  ill. 
Among  Winslow 's  talents  was  skill  in  doctoring  and 
nursing,  so  with  some  remedies  and  food  he  had 
carried  with  him,  he  was  able  to  improve  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Chief.  Massasoit 's  delight  and  gratitude 
manifested  themselves  in  an  important  piece  of  in- 
formation, which  was  that  an  Indian  conspiracy 
was  in  the  making  against  Plymouth.  With  this 
startling  revelation  Winslow  returned.  The  matter 
was  soon  concluded,  for  their  Captain,  as  he  believed 
preparation  and  prevention  were  better  than  cure, 
took  a  picked  company  and  the  offensive,  and  came 
back  with  the  head  of  the  bold  ringleader.  This 
salutary  but  grewsome  object  caused  the  women  to 
look  elsewhere  than  the  point  on  the  battlements  of 
the  fort  where  it  was  displayed.  However  the 
warning  had  its  effect  —  discontented  Indians  be- 
came mild  in  terror  of  the  Sword  of  the  White  Men, 


122 


as  they  called  Myles  Standish.  The  picked  company 
in  this  event  was  composed  of  several  of  the  young 
men  who  were  specially,  if  secretly,  favored  by  Pris- 
cilla,  Mary  and  Elizabeth. 

Ships  and  more  letters,  one  bringing  truly  joyful 
news  that,  at  last,  some  of  their  own  people  would 
come  in  the  next  ships  sent  out  by  the  Merchants. 
This  cheer  was  sorely  needed,  but  as  they  were  just 
managing  to  keep  from  starvation  by  the  fish  as 
almost  their  only  food,  they  wondered  how  they 
could  supply  the  newcomers  with  a  living.  The 
prospect  was  indeed  dreary,  as  a  protracted  drought 
had  wilted  their  cherished  crops  hopelessly.  Anoth- 
er ship,  bringing  a  rather  important  naval  official  in 
charge  of  fishing  activities  on  the  coast,  came  in. 
This  officer,  Captain  Francis  West,  called  Admiral 
of  New  England,  made  but  a  short  stay,  but  long 
enough  to  fill  them  with  anxiety  as  he  told  them  he 
had  spoken  a  ship  at  sea,  had  boarded  her,  found 
her  bound  for  this  port,  and  sailed  in  company  with 
her  until  in  a  violent  storm  they  lost  sight  of  her. 
He  supposed  she  had  already  come  in,  and,  finding 
she  had  not,  feared  some  mischance. 

These  summer  days  were  dark  for  them,  starving, 
with  hopes  of  a  harvest  blighted  by  drought,  and 
now  distress  for  the  possible  loss  of  the  ship  bring- 
ing their  loved  ones.  In  this  deepest  gloom,  which 
proved  the  fore-runner  of  dawn,  they  set  apart  a 
day  of  prayer,  in  humility  and  distress,  by  their 
faith's  steady  flame.  Under  the  glaring  sun,  the 
day  began  —  but  at  evening  the  sun  set  in  clouds 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  123 

and  the  rain  came  for  which  they  prayed.    The  corn, 
the  fruit  was  saved. 

Sweet  and  soft  was  the  air  of  the  summer  morning 
some  few  weeks  after  this;  birds  sang  joyously  and 
a  silver  mist  hung  over  the  sea  as  Plymouth  awoke  to 
the  new  day.  The  women  seemed  more  light-hearted 
than  of  late,  shown  by  snatches  of  song  now  and 
then  as  they  pursued  the  common  tasks  of  the  house- 
hold. An  indefinable  feeling  which  had  come  to 
them  that  since  the  answer  to  their  prayer  for  rain 
had  been  given  by  many  refreshing  showers,  the  one 
in  supplication  for  the  safety  of  the  ship  and  their 
expected  dear  ones  could  not  be  in  vain  and  all 
would  yet  be  well,  gave  them  more  enjoyment  of 
life  notwithstanding  a  breakfast  of  boiled  clams  was 
all  they  could  prepare  for  their  families.  The  smoke 
from  the  chimneys  rose  over  the  thatched  roofs, 
pointing  seaward.  Some  of  the  men  came  forth 
from  their  homes,  on  their  way  to  the  day's  labors, 
and  cheerily  greeted  one  another,  stopping  to  speak 
of  the  weather  and  prospects  of  plenty. 

Mary  Brewster  stands  in  her  door-way,  arranging 
the  sprays  of  the  wild  rose  trained  beside  it  —  the 
showers  had  revived  it  and  it  looked  its  best.  She  had 
planted  and  tended  it,  hoping  for  the  day  when  her 
daughters  might  smile  at  her  beside  its  blossoms. 
Priscilla  joins  her  in  admiring  it,  both  thinking  of 
Fear  and  Patience  on  the  longed  for  ship.  They  speak 
of  this  being  the  first  ship  to  come  having  a  woman 's 
name,  and  that  she  was  bringing  so  many  women. 


124  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

John  Alden  stops  on  his  way  past  with  a  morning 
greeting.  What  man  more  anxious  than  he  for  the 
arrival  of  the  Anne,  though  his  bride-to-be  is  not 
on  the  ship.  Through  many  months  Priscilla  has 
heard  love's  voice,  sweet  and  low,  tender  and  strong, 
and  though  for  one  reason  and  another  it  seemed 
best  to  wait,  she  has  now  promised  to  marry  him 
when  the  uncertainty  about  the  ship  is  over,  for 
she  could  not  leave  dear  Mistress  Brewster,  who  had 
so  mothered  her,  in  the  suspense  concerning  her  own 
daughters,  nor  be  selfish  in  thinking  of  her  own 
affairs  when  the  universal  anxiety  was  so  great. 

They  too,  talk  of  the  weather,  of  the  breeze  from 
the  southwest,  and  glance  at  the  chimney's  long 
finger  of  smoke  pointing,  pointing  to  the  sea.  Half 
unconsciously  they  look  in  that  direction  and 
watch  the  thinning  fog  as  it  seems  to  form  in  pat- 
terns like  Flemish  lace,  as  Priscilla  says.  Now  it 
has  parted  and  the  sun's  brilliancy  streams  through 
making  a  jewelled  pathway  on  the  water.  Quickly 
Priscilla  grasps  Mary  Brewster's  hand  and  flings 
out  her  arm  in  the  direction  the  smoke  has  been 
pointing.  Against  the  pink  and  golden  morning 
sky  there  is  a  ship,  coming  slowly,  slowly,  into  the 
harbor,  flinging  before  her  wreaths  of  pearly  foam. 
The  Anne! 

"Then  from  their  houses  in  haste  came  forth  the 

Pilgrims  of  Plymouth, 
Men  and  women  and  children  all  hurrying  down  to 

the  sea  shore." 
Never  again  did  the  Pilgrims  of  Plymouth  expe- 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  125 

rience  the  thrill  of  that  moment  at  the  arrival  of 
any  ship,  and  only  once  before  had  the  feeling  ap- 
proached it  —  at  the  arrival  of  the  Fortune.  Though 
some  emotions  were  similar  in  each  case,  such  as 
relief  and  joy,  the  circumstances  were  dissimilar. 
The  relief  was  for  themselves,  for  their  own  wel- 
fare, in  the  first  case,  in  the  second  their  relief  was 
doubled,  as  the  welfare  of  those  on  the  ship  was  the 
chief  thought.  The  first  joy  was  coupled  with  sur- 
prise at  its  unexpectedness,  the  second  with  thanks- 
giving at  the  fulfillment  of  a  great  hope  and  antici- 
pation. 

Fathers  and  husbands,  brothers  and  friends 
jumped  into  boats  to  put  off  to  the  Anne  to  see  and 
greet  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  those  of  whom 
they  had  been  thinking  and  dreaming  for  so  long. 
Here  is  Richard  Warren,  Doctor  Fuller  and  Francis 
Cooke,  of  the  first  division,  Jonathan  Brewster  and 
Thomas  Prence,  of  the  second,  off  in  the  first  dash. 
The  governor's  boat  takes  also  his  assistant,  Isaac 
Allerton,  and  Captain  Myles  Standish.  Those  on 
the  ship,  crowding  along  the  jrail,  see  the  boats 
coming  to  them  over  the  laughing  wavelets,  and 
recognizing  one  after  another  of  the  men  as  they 
come  alongside,  laugh  in  reply  as  they  wave. 

There  has  been  written  some  charming  verses 
descriptive  of  the  arrival  in  this  country  of  the 
foreign  girls  who  married  members  of  the  A.  E.  F. 
of  the  recent  war.  The  conclusion  fits  well  with 
that  scene  of  nearly  three  hundred  years  ago: 


126  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

"They  loved  our  heroes  well  enough 

To  leave  all  else  besides 
And  make  America  their  own, 
So  welcome  home  the  brides." 

Yes,  and  wives,  too.  The  ship's  band,  if  there  had 
been  one,  might  well  have  played  the  tune  of 
"Sweethearts  and  Wives,"  while  Plymouth's  drum 
and  fife  could  have  replied  with  "Haste  to  the 
Wedding,"  or  "Here  Comes  the  Bride." 

When  the  excitement  had  subsided  a  little,  iii  a 
few  days  time,  the  Brewster  girls  had  the  interesting 
event  of  a  wedding  in  their  home,  for  their  old 
friend,  Priscilla  married  the  young  man  of  her 
choice,  whom  they  had  never  seen,  until  they  came 
to  Plymouth.  There  was  little  wherewith  to  make  a 
wedding  feast,  but,  at  least  a  health  could  be  given 
the  bride  and  bridegroom  in  the  elderblow  wine, 
made  a  year  before. 

Indeed  the  great  shock  to  the  newcomers  was  the 
condition  of  affairs  in  the  colony  —  the  thinness, 
paleness  and  weakness  of  all,  from  want  of  sufficient 
food.  The  governor  recalls  for  many  a  day  the  em- 
barrassment felt  by  the  Pilgrims  that  so  little  could 
be  offered  to  the  new  arrivals,  only  fish  and  cold 
water.  But  the  Anne,  unlike  the  Fortune,  brought 
some  supplies  and  necessaries,  so  the  passengers  were 
not  a  drain  upon  the  colony  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Fortune,  but,  rather  a  great  help. 

Following  the  example  of  John  Alden,  Francis 
Eaton  took  to  himself  a  wife,  thereby  adding  another 
to  the  number  of  married  women  among  the  original 
company.  He  wedded  the  only  woman  who  has  been 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  127 

without  a  name  in  the  history  of  the  Mayflower  and 
of  the  colony,  perhaps  the  only  woman  in  history 
who,  being  mentioned  several  times,  has  always  been 
nameless.  Of  course  she  had  a  name  and  was  called 
by  it  by  her  contemporaries,  but  seek  as  we  may, 
she  is  designated  only  for  us  as  "Mrs  Carver's 
maid."  For  Francis  Eaton  she  stayed,  when  she 
might  have  returned  with  Desire  Minter;  for  him 
and  his  baby  boy,  left  motherless,  in  the  first  winter, 
who  had  been  looked  after  by  plain  but  kind-hearted 
Eleanor  Billington. 

A  passenger  by  the  Anne  whom  we  know,  the 
wealthy  widow,  Mrs.  Alice  Southworth,  brought  her 
maid  —  but  she  was  Christian  Penn,  and  she  mar- 
ried Francis  Eaton  for  his  third  wife  in  after  years, 
as  the  second  Mrs.  Eaton  (we  are  glad  to  give  her  a 
name  for  once),  did  not  live  long. 

The  Anne  stayed  at  Plymouth  over  a  month  —  a 
witness  of  the  several  marriages  which  she  had 
brought  about,  directly  and  indirectly. 

Alice  Carpenter  —  the  lovely  English  girl,  going 
with  her  family  into  voluntary  exile  in  Leyden, 
marrying  there  and  afterwards  living,  a  prosperous 
matron  of  London,  as  Alice  Southworth,  then  cross- 
ing the  sea,  a  widow,  to  become  a  bride  again,  this 
time  of  a  Colonial  governor,  living  thereafter  as 
Alice  Bradford,  an  adornment  of  the  community 
about  her  and  a  great  factor  in  its  peace  and  prog- 
ress—  weaves  one  of  the  bright  threads  of  romance 
through  the  story  of  the  women  of  Plymouth.  The 
governor's  marriage  to  the  charming  widow  was 


128  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

indeed  an  important  event  in  the  life  of  the  village. 
Somewhat  of  a  surprise  to  all  but  a  few,  was  the 
announcement  of  the  coming  marriage  of  the  Cap- 
tain to  an  old  friend,  who  had  come  out  in  company 
with  Mrs.  Southworth,  for  the  same  reason,  in  an- 
swer to  a  proposal  of  marriage,  by  letter.  Then  fol- 
lowed another  wedding,  of  special  interest  to  all  the 
first  comers  by  the  Mayflower  and  to  many  of  the 
recent  arrivals,  that  of  big  John  Howland  with  little 
Elizabeth  Tilly,  as  she  always  seemed  to  her  old 
friends,  though  quite  grown  up  now  and  nearing 
seventeen.  John  Howland  had  patiently  waited,  aft 
other  men.  Thus,  by  the  coming  of  the  Anne,  bring- 
ing her  own  dear  daughters,  after  three  years  of 
separation,  Mary  Brewster  was  able  to  smile  at  the 
departure  of  two  of  her  loving  daughters  of  adver- 
sity, to  homes  of  their  own.  In  this  practical  and 
primitive  life,  no  honeymoons  could  be  thought  of. 
Plymouth,  itself,  then  lay  within  the  radius  of  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  and  there  was  not  another  civilized 
habitation  in  hundreds  of  leagues,  so  the  only  wed- 
ding journey  of  these  Mayflower  girls,  Priscilla  and 
Elizabeth,  was  from  Elder  Brewster 's  doorway  to 
their  own  new  homes;  one  down,  one  up  the  street. 
We  know  that  these  girls  had  in  addition  to  the  lov- 
ing interest  of  Mary  Brewster,  the  affectionate  en- 
couragement of  Susanna  Winslow  and  the  warm 
friendship  of  their  girl  companions  of  Leyden  and 
of  Plymouth,  Fear  and  Patience  Brewster,  Mary 
Chilton  and  Humility  Cooper  —  priceless  wedding 
gifts  —  nor  lacking  was  the  regard  of  the  governor 's 


and  Women,  of  Plymouth  Colony  129 

wife,  a  contemporary  bride  and  old  friend  of  Ley- 
den  days. 

Of  these  marriages  we  have  not  a  sketch  in  the 
written  history  of  those  days,  except  in  the  new 
book  brought  by  the  Anne  for  the  colony's  records, 
and  the  first  entries,  most  appropriately,  are  these. 
And  that  the  Fortune  might  be  represented  in  the 
weddings  of  this  season,  as  well  as  the  Mayflower 
an  Anne,  the  widow,  Mrs.  Ford,  proceeded  to  take 
a  second  husband,  in  the  person  of  Peter  Brown, 
one  of  the  sturdy  and  loyal  men  of  the  colony,  who 
had  come  in  the  Mayflower. 

The  doctor's  young  wife,  Bridget;  Richard  War- 
ren's daughters,  as  well  as  their  mother,  and  Hester 
Cooke  and  Juliana  Morton,  all  arrivals  by  the  Anne, 
hardly  realized  at  first  the  sombre  background 
of  the  life  against  which  these  marriages  shone  out 
for  the  first  comers.  To  them  it  seemed  they  had 
arrived  in  a  land  of  weddings  and  happiness  — 
though  lack  of  feasting  and  trousseaux  was  somewhat 
evident.  Another  interested  on-looker,  is  the  aun*, 
of  Remember  and  Mary,  Isaac  Allerton's  sister, 
whom  we  knew  in  Leyden  as  Sarah  Priest,  but, 
widowed  the  first  winter  after  her  husband  arrived 
at  the  new  home  he  was  to  prepare  for  her,  she 
nevertheless  came  to  Plymouth  with  a  new  hus- 
band, whom  she  had  recenly  married  in  Leyden,  and 
now  she  is  Sarah  Cuthbertson.  She  brought  the  little 
sister  of  the  Allerton  children,  Sarah,  who  had  been 
left  in  her  care,  but  did  not  give  up  charge  of  her. 

The  augmented  motion  and  sounds  on  Plymouth's 


130  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

street,  under  the  September  sky  was  apparent. 
Many  women  had  come;  numerous  children  were 
there;  the  men's  families  were  forming  new  house- 
holds; strangers  getting  accustomed  to  one  another 
and  surroundings ;  friends  renewing  old  ties  —  the 
newcomers  feeling  a  bit  lost,  nevertheless. 

The  life,  such  as  it  had  been,  for  the  Mayflower 
passengers  was  over.  That  time,  within  the  three 
years  from  their  departure  on  the  Speedwell  from 
Delfshaven,  to  their  welcome  of  the  Anne,  at  Plym- 
outh, was  a  thing  apart. 


BENEATH  THE  PINES  OF  PLYMOUTH. 


BENEATH  THE  PINES  OF  PLYMOUTH. 

The  Anne,  laden  with  lumber,  furs  and  mail, 
sailed  in  September,  carrying  also  an  important  pas- 
senger; Susanna  Winslow  had  to  spare  her  husband 
for  a  time,  while  he  went  to  England  on  the  colony's 
business  and  his  own  affairs.  However,  her  cares 
now  were  somewhat  lessened  by  the  coming  in  the 
Anne  of  a  young  women,  named  Mary  Becket,  to 
assist  in  her  household  labors.  Since  his  other  aunt 
had  come,  by  the  Anne,  to  live  in  Plymouth,  little 
Samuel  Fuller  went  back  to  the  doctor's  house  to 
grow  up.  Bridget  Fuller  came  with  the  baby,  who 
was  too  delicate  to  make  the  voyage  in  the  May- 
flower, now  three  years  old,  and  the  doctor's  sunny 
gentle  spirit  rejoiced. 

Following  the  Anne  came  a  small  ship  called 
Little  James,  which  was  to  remain  for  the  colony's 
use.  It  proved  of  little  use  and  great  expense,  after 
all,  but  it  brought  other  Leyden  friends,  as  well  as 
strangers  from  England.  Thus  Plymouth  grew,  and 
this  autumn  saw  about  a  hundred  and  eighty  per- 
sons instead  of  the  handful  who  had  struggled  for 
life  and  a  home  in  the  wilderness  for  the  past  three 
years. 

The  new  plan  of  individual  division  of  the  land 
with  its  planting  and  care  proved  its  wisdom;  the 
crops  ripening  rapidly,  foretold  an  abundant  har- 


134 


vest;  the  lightening  of  hearts  and  the  promising 
outlook  caused  the  governor  to  proclaim  a  day  of 
public  thanksgiving.  It  was  not  after  the  manner 
of  that  of  two  years  previously,  as  conditions  were 
different,  but  more  in  remembrance  of  the  day  of 
supplication  held  in  July.  The  dreaded  visitor  fam- 
ine, was  gone,  never  to  return  to  the  firesides  of 
Plymouth  —  although  for  some  awful  hours  it 
seemed  possible.  On  a  wintry  night,  too  great  a 
fire  on  the  hearth  of  one  of  the  new  houses,  caused 
that  house,  and  those  nearest,  to  be  consumed  by 
flames  and  to  threaten  the  Common  House  where 
their  trading  supplies  and  harvest  were  stored. 
Well  that  the  Captain  had  prepared  his  original 
company  to  fight  possible  fire  as  well  as  possible 
hostile  attack,  for  by  those  men  was  that  tragedy 
averted,  as,  in  the  excitement  and  confusion,  the 
majority  of  the  new-comers  were  more  of  a  hin- 
drance than  help.  The  women  must  have  felt  that 
if  cares  and  labors  were  somewhat  decreased,  respon- 
sibility and  uncertainty  were  increased  through  the 
added  numbers  to  the  town. 

That  winter  was  the  gayest  Plymouth  had  ever 
known.  Families  had  been  so  lately  reunited  that 
the  satisfaction  and  joy  of  the  occasion  still  caused 
effervescence  of  spirits,  and,  too,  there  were  many 
more  young  people  who  never  had  to  live  through 
the  hard  and  perilous  times  which  the  first  group 
experienced.  These  all  had  either  homes  to  go  to  or 
loving  friends  to  shelter  them  until  homes  were 
built ;  no  sickness  to  contend  with  and  plenty  to  eat. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  135 

Where  the  comforts  of  all  the  men  had  depended 
more  or  less  on  a  few  •women,  now  the  hands  of 
many  women  made  all  tasks  lighter,  and  there  was 
time  for  more  social  intercourse,  which  though  in 
simplest  form  was  sufficient  then  for  relaxation  and 
pleasure.  No  wonder  happy  voices  were  carried  on 
the  winter  winds  and  light  footsteps  echoed  on  the 
street.  Neighborliness  being  ever  a  characteristic 
of  the  Pilgrims,  there  was  a  constant  exchange  of 
goodwill  and  kindly  attentions  between  the  house- 
holds. They  had  not  needed  Robert  Cushman's  ad- 
monition in  his  discourse  to  them,  before  returning 
in  the  Fortune,  "There  is  no  grief  so  tedious  as  a 
churlish  companion  and  nothing  makes  sorrows  easy 
more  than  cheerful  associates.  Bear  ye  therefore 
one  another's  burdens  and  be  not  a  burden  one  to 
another,"  but  they  did  not  ignore  it. 

"We  may  glance  in  the  houses,  on  a  frosty  evening, 
and  see  who  are  sheltered  within  their  cosy  bright- 
ness and  warmth.  The  governor's  house  has  a  large 
and  merry  party  to  hold,  for  he  and  his  wife  are 
entertaining  for  the  winter,  her  sister,  Juliana,  with 
husband,  George  Morton  and  all  the  little  Mortons: 
Patience,  Nathaniel,  John,  Sarah,  Ephraim  and  baby 
George;  also  a  regular  member  of  the  family,  Thom- 
as Cushman.  No  wonder  Christian  Penn  was  in 
demand. 

In  the  Brewster  home,  across  the  way,  the  Elder 
and  his  wife  have  also  lively  company,  with  three 
sons,  the  dear  daughters,  and  Mary  Chilton  and 
Humility  Cooper  and  Richard  More.  Thomas 


136 


Prence,  John  Winslow,  Philip  de  la  Noye  and  half 
a  dozen  more  of  the  young  men  drop  in  of  an  even- 
ing, with  four  attractive  girls  and  charming  hostess 
to  welcome  them,  and  even  an  older  man  occasional- 
ly, as  when  Isaac  Allerton  brings  his  daughter  over 
to  join  in  the  fun;  though  he  appears  only  to  talk 
to  the  Elder  he  glances  at  one  of  the  girls,  some- 
times. Patience  has  her  little  flax  wheel  at  one  side 
of  the  room  under  a  candle  bracket  and  the  whir 
of  the  wheel  makes  a  background  for  the  voices. 
Thomas  Prence  is  beside  her  mightily  interested  in 
the  spinning,  as  the  product  is  for  his  sweetheart's 
hope  chest.  The  Brewster  girls  have  brought  a 
supply  of  new  linens  to  their  mother,  from  Holland, 
and  indeed  all  the  housekeepers  are  well  supplied 
with  this  necessity,  but  constant  usage  wears  out 
the  best  made  and  so  more  must  be  in  readiness, 
therefore  spinning  is  a  regular  occupation,  especially 
for  those  with  a  wedding  in  mind. 

Susanna  Winslow  has  company,  also,  this  even- 
ing, for  her  brother,  the  cheerful  doctor,  and  his 
young  wife  have  been  having  supper  with  her  and 
her  young  brothers-in-law.  John  has  gone  over  to 
the  Brewster 's,  but  Gilbert,  his  handsome,  rather 
discontented  face  lit  by  the  fire,  sits  near  the  hearth, 
smoking,  with  the  doctor  and  another  man,  for 
Sarah  Cuthbertson  has  come  in  for  an  evening's 
gossip  with  her  old  friend,  Anna,  bringing  her  new 
husband.  The  three  women  have  much  to  talk  of  — 
matters  both  grave  and  gay  —  and  the  new-comers 
from  Leyden  are  doing  most  of  the  chatter,  Susanna 


137 


well  pleased  to  listen,  commenting  occasionally  on 
the  narration  of  who  had  married  or  moved  away 
and  such  items  of  interest  as  would  accumulate  in 
three  years,  with  infrequent  opportunities  of  com- 
munication. 

John  Rowland  and  his  Elizabeth  go  in  the  door- 
way of  the  Alden  's  house  for  a  social  call  —  and  find 
Francis  Cooke  and  his  wife,  Hester,  there,  also,  and 
soon  after,  the  Captain  and  his  wife,  Barbara,  enter, 
and  there  is  laughter  and  chat,  while  the  women's 
fingers  ply  the  knitting  needles,  for  even  in  recrea- 
tion moments  the  women  can  seldom  afford  to  be 
wholly  idle.  Hester  is  an  old  Leyden  friend  to 
Priscilla  and  Elizabeth,  though  not  of  English  birth, 
while  Barbara  is  a  new  friend  to  them  all,  Hester 
having  made  her  acquaintance  on  the  sea  voyage 
which  brought  them  both  to  Plymouth.  Francis 
Cooke  had  a  comfortable  house  awaiting  his  wife  and 
children,  and  Hester,  naturally,  quite  fitted  in  with 
the  first  comers. 

In  the  large  house  of  the  Hopkins,  we  see  a  num- 
ber of  the  youngest  inhabitants  of  Plymouth  having 
a  very  jolly  time  —  Giles  and  Constance  being  re- 
sponsible. Here  are  Mary  and  Bartholomew  Aller- 
ton,  John  and  Jane  Cooke,  Patience  Morton  and 
Thomas  Cushman,  Ann  and  Sarah  Warren,  "William 
Palmer  and  Samuel  Jenny,  even  Jacob  Cooke  and 
Damaris  Hopkins  are  admitted,  also  Mercy  Sprague, 
Samuel  Fuller,  Resolved  White  and  Sarah  Annable, 
for  at  these  children's  parties  the  early  hours  kept 
could  not  rob  even  the  youngest  of  much  sleep.  We 


138  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

know  how  many  of  the  future  marriages  in  Plym- 
outh came  from  this  gay  group.  Stephen  Hopkins 
and  his  wife  have  gone  out  themselves  and  we  sec 
them  in  the  home  of  Richard  Warren,  whose  wife 
and  daughter  Mary,  having  gotten  the  youngest 
girls,  Elizabeth  and  Abigail,  in  bed  are  glad  to  wel- 
come company.  Two  of  their  fellow  passengers  in 
the  Anne  are  also  present,  one  being  Robert  Bartlett, 
whose  interest  in  Mary  began  on  their  ocean  voyage, 
which  has  a  very  modern  sound.  The  other  visitor 
is  Ellen  Newton,  who  came  out  with  these  friends, 
and  is  soon  to  marry  John  Adams,  who  preceded  her 
in  the  Fortune. 

Here  is  another  gathering  at  the  home  of  John 
and  Sarah  Jenny,  who,  with  their  three  children, 
arrived  on  the  Little  James,  they  are  of  the  old  Ley- 
den  company;  also  we  see  here  Stephen  Tracy  and 
Triphosa,  his  French  wife  and  their  little  girl, 
Sarah,  who  has  come  to  have  a  frolic  with  her  play- 
mates, Abigail  and  Sarah,  while  the  parents  are  ab- 
sorbed in  their  own  affairs;  they  are  soon  joined 
by  William  Palmer  (who  came  with  his  son  in  the 
Fortune)  and  his  wife,  Frances,  a  passenger  in  the 
Anne.  The  happy-go-lucky,  or  unlucky,  household 
of  the  Billingtons  is  evidently  satisfied  with  its  own 
family  this  evening. 

And  to  look  further  we  see  other  homes  whose 
inmates  are  strangers  to  us,  though  not  to  all  of 
our  earlist  acquaintances,  such  as  Francis  and  Anna 
Sprague,  whose  little  girl,  Mercy,  is  at  the  Hopkins, 
this  evening;  Anthony  and  Jane  Amiable,  their 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  139 

oldest  child  we  have  also  seen  at  the  party  but  Sarah 
and  Hannah  are  at  home;  Ralph  Wallen  and  Joyce, 
his  wife,  Edward  and  Rebecca  Bangs,  with  two 
children  romping  at  home;  Robert  Hicks  with  Mar- 
garet and  three  children ;  also  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward 
Burcher,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Flavell  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Hilton  and  little  boys  (all  of  the  latter 
arrived  by  the  Anne)  besides  numerous  single  men 
of  the  Fortune,  Anne  and  Little  James,  who  are 
quite  welcome  at  the  different  houses.  With  so  mans7 
young  men,  the  girls  had  numbers  to  choose  from, 
as  each  would  have  been  glad  for  a  wife  and  home 
of  his  own.  Light  refreshments  add  to  the  social 
hour  we  see,  possets  and  manchets  with  home-brewed 
ale,  and  nuts,  or  the  beverage  made  of  roots,  flavored 
with  sassafras,  similar  to  modern  root  beer,  and  pop- 
corn—  both  the  latter  Indian  additions  to  their 
knowledge.  The  possets  and  manchets  are  little 
cakes,  the  former  sometimes  called  "sweet  shrub" 
made  of  flour,  sugar  and  spice,  while  manchets  are 
flour,  made  without  the  spice  and  baked  brown  like 
our  cookies. 

Having  thus  seen  who  is  who  in  Plymouth  by  the 
lights  of  the  houses,  "shining  like  stars  in  the  dark 
and  mist  of  the  evening,"  we  will  observe  some  pass- 
ing events,  from  this  time,  which  were  of  interest  to 
the  women,  either  for  themselves  or  members  of  their 
families  or  friends. 

This  happy  winter  passed  into  their  history, 
and  spring  coming  found  the  Plymouth  people 
with  hearts  more  in  tune  to  the  joy  and  hope  of 


140  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

its  opening  buds  and  bird  songs  than  ever  before. 

On  a  March  day,  the  first  ship  of  the  season 
from  England  came  into  view.  If  one  has  ever  lived, 
in  modern  times,  far  from  native  land  and  many 
dear  friends,  as  on  island  possessions,  for  instance, 
in  civil  or  military  life,  with  ships  coming  safely 
to  harbor,  the  only  chance  of  communication  with 
the  outside  world,  bringing  letters,  packages  of  gifts 
or  a  friend  or  two,  perchance,  with  weeks  or  months 
of  interval  between  sight  of  a  ship  from  overseas, 
one  may  easily  comprehend  just  how  the  women  of 
Plymouth  felt  when  a  ship  was  coming  in.  And 
though  the  women  did  not  write  or  receive  letters 
very  often,  in  those  days,  yet  they  heard  the  contents 
of  those  which  frequently  came  to  their  husbands 
and  could  think  and  talk  of  the  tidings  for  many  a 
day. 

The  Charity  brought  Susanna  Winslow's  husband 
home  to  her  and  to  his  welcoming  friends.  His  mis- 
sion had  been  eminently  successful  and  proved  the 
adage  of  "If  you  want  a  thing  done  well,  do  it  your- 
self," for  "Winslow  knowing  each  need  of  the  colony, 
brought  back  the  proper  supplies  for  trade  with  ths 
Indians  or  the  fishing  ships,  and  adequate  selection 
of  clothing  for  all.  Having  a  wife,  he  knew  what 
to  buy  for  the  women,  and  what  the  children  needed, 
besides  special  commissions  in  way  of  books  or 
household  comforts  as  they  existed,  at  that  time, 
elsewhere.  The  colony  was  not  rich  —  either  as  a 
whole  or  by  individual  wealth  —  but  though  bearing 
a  heavy  debt  to  the  Merchants,  they  had  to  live 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  141 

while  every  effort  was  being  made  to  reduce  the 
original,  and  the  Merchants  were  usually  willing  to 
add  to  their  obligation,  especially  since  their  ex- 
ports were  so  marketable.  Also  some  of  the  families 
had  personal  credit  in  England,  even  though  for 
several  years  the  results  of  their  trade  went  to  re- 
duce the  common  debt,  and  the  only  personal  gain 
allowed  in  Plymouth  was  from  selling  the  products 
of  their  own  lands  to  one  another.  Corn  was  legal 
tender,  nothing  else  was  needed  or  of  greater  value 
to  them  or  the  natives,  until  a  later  date.  Therefore 
the  Elder,  the  Governor,  the  Captain,  could  rejoice 
in  more  books,  the  women  in  the  last  word  of  costume 
detail  from  London  or  Leyden  suitable  to  their 
present  situation.  We  are  quite  sure  that  Mary 
Chilton,  Patience  Brewster  and  the  other  girls,  as 
well  as  the  young  brides,  were  just  as  particular 
about  the  set  of  a  broad  brimmed  hat,  or  the  ribbons 
on  a  velvet  hood,  as  interested  in  whether  white  neck- 
wear had  bows  or  tassels  to  fasten  it,  and  if  silver 
shoe  buckles  were  engraved  or  plain,  as  any  woman 
of  today  in  her  up-to-date  appearance. 

In  addition  to  the  many  personal  interests  con- 
nected with  Edward  Winslow's  return,  he  had  pur- 
chased several  head  of  cattle,  and  the  children 
watched  with  greatest  curiosity  —  and  some  alarm 
to  those  who  had  never  seen  such  creatures  —  the 
approach  of  the  small  boats  from  the  ship  with  ropes 
trailing  behind  attached  to  the  horns  and  necks  of 
the  cows,  swimming  valiantly  to  their  new  home. 
Their  familiar  appearance  brought  an  increased 


142  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

home  feeling  to  the  women.  From  that  day  milk 
was  never  lacking  for  beverage,  butter,  and  cheese-, 
goat's  milk  was  no  longer  their  only  supply. 

And  of  great  interest  to  many  was  a  certain  book 
which  Winslow  had  written  and  had  printed  that 
winter,  in  London,  called  "Good  News  From  New 
England."  This  publication  which  threw  the  pic- 
ture of  themselves  and  their  surroundings  sharply 
before  the  eyes  of  many  on  the  screen  of  public  in- 
telligence, in  England,  was  a  factor  in  their  life 
thereafter  by  its  results.  Business  for  the  colony 
was  not  concluded  at  the  time  Winslow  wished  to 
return  to  Plymouth,  and,  as  he  brought  letters  re- 
questing his  further  presence,  to  continue  these 
matters,  the  governor  agreed  to  his  leaving  them 
again,  and  Susanna  could  do  nothing  but  consent 
also. 

The  Charity  remained  for  fishing,  throughout  the 
summer,  which  was  crowded  with  events  of  moment. 
In  response  to  appeals  from  the  Pilgrims  in  Plym- 
outh to  the  Merchants  in  London  that  their  pastor, 
John  Robinson,  be  sent  to  them  with  others  of  their 
number  from  Ley  den,  the  Merchants  had  made  ex- 
cuses. The  Anne  brought  affectionate  letters  from 
Robinson  but  not  his  longed-for  presence.  To  their 
great  surprise,  therefore,  in  company  with  Winslow, 
on  the  Charity,  there  came  a  stranger  whom  the  Mer- 
chants had  decided  should  be  the  colony's  religious 
head.  In  vain  had  Winslow  argued  and  pleaded  for 
Robinson,  knowing  what  a  disappointment  this 
would  be.  This  minister  brought  his  wife  and 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  143 

children  and  at  first  seemed  well  disposed  toward 
the  Pilgrims,  so  they  accepted  what  they  could  not 
help  and  allowed  him  a  seat  on  the  Council  board  — 
for  now  there  were  several  assistants  to  the  governor 
—  and  requested  him  to  act  as  associate  with  their 
elder,  but  although  he  declared  himself  a  convert  to 
the  Separatist  church,  they  did  not  admit  him  to  the 
position  of  their  pastor.  A  more  acceptable  com- 
panion on  this  home-coming  of  Winslow's  was  a 
clever  and  likable  young  carpenter,  who  did  them 
good  service. 

In  the  early  summer,  Ellen  Newton  married  John 
Adams,  which  was  of  interest  to  those  who  had 
crossed  with  her  in  the  Anne,  and  kindly  observed 
by  others.  In  midsummer,  two  new  comers  brought 
rejoicing  and  pleasure  to  many.  In  the  governor's 
family  arrived  the  baby  who  received  the  name  of 
William,  which  had  also  been  given  to  his  father, 
grand-father  and  great-grandfather.  Into  John  and 
Priscilla  Alden's  home  came  Elizabeth,  called  the 
first  born  daughter  of  the  Pilgrims.  As  one  writer 
has  expressed  it,  ''She  was  destined  to  outlive  every 
individual  then  in  the  colony  and  to  survive  the 
colony  itself  by  twenty-five  years." 

In  August,  just  about  a  year  from  the  time  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Anne,  another  of  her  passengers  be- 
came a  bride,  making  the  eighth  in  the  colony  during 
the  twelve-month.  This  wedding  was  of  special  in- 
terest, not  only  because  it  was  the  first  in  a  promi- 
nent family,  but  because  of  the  popularity  of  the 
bride  and  the  groom  and  the  affection  and  esteem 


144 


in  which  the  parents  were  held.  Plymouth  rejoiced 
when  Patience  Brewster  married  Thomas  Prence, 
and  her  mother  felt  that  she  then  had  all  that  heart 
could  wish  for.  With  tall,  affectionate  sons  and  lov- 
ing daughters,  one  going  to  a  home  of  her  own,  but 
not  away,  and,  beside  her,  the  handsome  lover  of  her 
youth  as  her  devoted  husband,  sharing  her  feelings 
on  this  important  day;  a  home  with  all  comforts 
then  obtainable;  among  admiring  friends  as  of  old, 
Mary  Brewster  sighed  in  happy  content.  Plymouth 
had  returned  to  her  the  pleasures  of  Scrooby  with- 
out its  later  uncertainties  and  trials.  And  Patience, 
a  reflection  of  her  mother 's  early  fairness  and  charm, 
was  as  radiant  a  bride  as  New  England's  sun  ever 
lighted  on  a  wedding  day.  Her  young  husband  was 
to  steadily  advance  in  the  esteem  of  the  colony  and 
in  material  position,  reaching  the  important  place  of 
governor  in  a  few  years.  Thus  destiny  had  woven 
for  her  life  a  beautiful  pattern,  with  childhood  in 
Scrooby,  girlhood  in  Leyden,  womanhood  in  Plym- 
outh, .with  love  and  tender  care  to  lighten  all  her 
days.  A  bright  particular  star  in  the  galaxy  of 
women  of  Plymouth  colony  who  were  not  of  the  May- 
flower company,  but  who  found  their  life's  fulfill- 
ment there. 

Plymouth  society  had  grown  enough  to  be  no 
longer  the  one  and  indivisible  association  welded  to- 
gether by  common  experiences  and  mutual  interests, 
as  it  was  at  first.  "With  the  advent  of  those  uncon- 
nected with  the  original  pioneers  and  their  objects, 


145 


who  came  as  friends  of  the  Merchants  or  as  ad- 
venturers to  a  new  but  firmly  established  country, 
caring  nothing  for  its  interests,  rather  hoping  to 
throw  over  what  the  first  comers  had  won  by  their 
courage  and  faith  (of  firm  government  and  laws, 
freedom  of  conscience  and  liberality  for  those  of 
differing  views,  and  united  labor  for  prosperity  and 
peace)  came  a  change;  a  division  was  felt  between 
the  group  with  the  anarchist  spirit  and  that  com- 
prising the  original  element.  Regretting  this,  but 
forced  to  acknowledge  it  by  definite  unpleasantness 
between  them,  the  first  families  began  to  live  within 
their  own  circle  as  much  as  possible.  Stirring  scenes 
took  place,  as  autumn  began,  and  the  women  had 
much  to  discuss.  The  governor  was  forced  to  make 
the  issue  and  in  upholding  law  and  order  to  dismiss 
certain  members  of  the  community,  though  their 
families  were  allowed  to  stay  and  were  cared  for 
until  new  homes  could  be  procured  elsewhere.  Chief 
among  these  disturbers  of  Plymouth's  peace  were 
a  group  who  had  come  in  the  Anne,  under  leadership 
of  one,  John  Oldham,  and  the  hypocritical  minister, 
Lyford,  who  was  a  sad  disappointment  to  these 
charitably  inclined  people.  The  recital  of  this  expe- 
rience has  been  given  in  many  of  the  writings  which 
concern  the  men  of  Plymouth  —  the  "Pilgrim 
Fathers,"  so  often  mentioned.  The  element  of  un- 
rest being  removed,  other  persons,  not  harmful  but 
formerly  indifferent  only,  became  loyal  supporters 
of  the  commonwealth;  so  calmness  again  settled  over 
Plymouth  when  the  first  snow  flakes  draped  the 


146  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

rugged  pines,  standing  as  sentinels  or  guardians  for 
this  little  world,  between  the  wilderness  and  the  sea. 

The  winter  was  much  like  the  one  preceding  it, 
with  two  new  young  housekeepers  and  the  prospect 
of  other  brides.  Susanna  Winslow  was  again  with- 
out her  husband,  and  Gilbert  had  decided  to  revisit 
his  old  home  —  accompanying  his  brother  to  Eng- 
land, never  to  return.  Matchmakers  would  gladly 
have  mated  him  with  one  of  the  colony's  belles.  Ons 
wonders,  even  at  this  distant  day,  why  this  eligible 
young  bachelor  did  not  marry,  what  woman  touched 
his  heart?  Pity  he  had  not  asked  Desire  to  stay; 
perhaps  it  was  she  that  was  the  something  Plymouth 
lacked  for  him;  or  did  he  admire  Mary  Chilton's 
graces  of  mind  and  person,  yet  leave  her  for  his 
brother  John's  happiness?  Fancies  play  around  a 
possible  answer  to  this  passing  question  among  the 
many  love  stories  that  we  know  in  Plymouth,  which 
culminated  for  the  principals,  as  fairy  tales,  in  subse- 
quent happiness. 

Grey  days  and  golden  passed  over  Plymouth, 
each  one  finding  the  women  busy  with  the  successive 
round  of  household  duties  and  industries,  not  ended 
with  the  sunset  gun  as  the  men's  labors  might  be. 
Let  us  look  at  a  list  of  occupations  which  kept  them 
from  idleness  in  each  season  of  the  year:  candle- 
making,  pickling  eggs,  preserve  and  cordial  making, 
distilling  of  herbs,  ale  or  beer  making,  manufacture 
of  soap,  laundrying,  dying  cloths  and  yarns,  braid- 
ing mats  of  rushes,  sweeping  and  sanding  floors, 
cleaning  wooden  and  iron  utensils,  scouring  and 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  147 

polishing  pewter,  brass  and  silver  articles,  pounding 
corn,  butter  and  cheese  making,  cooking,  weaving, 
spinning,  sewing,  drying  wet  shoes  by  placing  hot 
oats  in  them,  or  clothes  —  storm  soaked  —  by  blaz- 
ing logs  on  the  hearth  (for  umbrellas  and  overshoes 
were  then  unknown)  and  teaching  the  boys  and 
girls.  It  was  not  until  a  later  day  that  there  were 
schools  for  the  children,  and  as  it  had  been  in  Eng- 
land, so  in  their  new  home,  their  learning  was  ob- 
tained from  their  elders.  Some  had  brought  what 
books  they  could;  nearly  all  brought  Bibles  in  sev- 
eral languages,  Psalm-books  and  Catechisms,  and 
before  long,  the  almanacs  proved  a  most  useful 
factor  in  home  education. 

Moments  of  recreation  and  rest  were  evidently 
somewhat  rare,  but  no  less  enjoyable,  lighter  occu- 
pations serving  the  purpose  at  home  or  when  visit- 
ing. Can  we  not  see  them  on  many  a  winter  evening 
by  the  firelight  of  blazing  cedar  logs  and  candle  glow 
from  the  dips  made  in  the  autumn,  with  the  fine  em- 
broidery and  knitting  in  which  the  women  of  their 
day  and  training  took  such  pride;  or  placing  the 
stitches  in  the  samplers  which  were  to  take  the  place 
of  pictures  on  the  bare  walls,  also  making  designs 
in  colored  threads  upon  the  sets  of  curtains  for 
beds  or  windows ;  meanwhile  talking  together  of  past 
days  in  their  old  homes —  of  the  friends  left  there 
whom  they  were  hopefully  expecting  to  join  them, 
showing  keepsakes  and  telling  their  personal  value 
to  amuse  one  another. 

Doubtless  their  greatest  peace  and  pleasure  came 


148  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

from  singing  songs  as  they  had  done  in  Pastor  Rob- 
inson's   house,    looking    out    on    the    beautiful    old 
garden  in  Leyden.     The  book  from  which  they  sang 
has  been  described  in  the  poem  we  all  know: 
"The  well-worn  psalm  book  of  Ainsworth 

Printed  in  Amsterdam,   the  words  and  music  to- 
gether, 

Bough-hewn,  angular  notes,  like  stones  in  the  wall 
of  a  church-yard 

Darkened  and  overhung  by  the  running  vine  of  the 

verses. ' ' 

Such  was  the  book,  the  delight  of  the  Pilgrim 
women,  for  in  that  country  of  few  books,  not  only 
did  its  pages  afford  their  only  music,  but  the  anno- 
tations formed  both  a  dictionary  and  encyclopedia 
of  useful  knowledge;  things  temporal  and  things 
spiritual  were  explained,  scientific,  historical  and 
religious  information  was  dispensed  therein.  Truly 
a  library  in  a  single  volume. 

Spring  again,  and  the  day  of  Edward  Winslow's 
return  found  the  town  in  excitement  and  the  women 
decidedly  disturbed.  John  Oldham  had  come  sud- 
denly amongst  them,  for  no  other  purpose  than  to 
revile  and  insult  the  authorities.  They  had  im- 
prisoned him  and  were  later  getting  rid  of  him  in 
a  chastened  mood,  when  "Winslow  and  the  captain 
of  the  ship,  which  had  brought  him  unnoticed  into 
the  harbor,  walked  up  the  street.  John  Oldham  sur- 
prised them  yet  again,  at  a  later  day,  but  then  re- 
turned to  make  amends  and  apologies,  and  to  offer 
services,  which  the  authorities  were  able  to  accept. 
And  this  man,  with  the  upsetting  propensities,  met 


149 


a  violent  death  at  the  hands  of  Indians  in  Massachu- 
setts bay  -  -  his  boat  was  rescued  and  his  death 
avenged  by  Captain  John  Gallup,  Senior,  of  Boston. 
This  event  has  been  called  the  first  naval  engagement 
of  American  history,  and  in  it  were  the  seeds  of  the 
Pequot  war. 

As  John  Oldham's  boat  put  out  from  the  harbor, 
and  the  boats  from  the  Jacob  landed  the  colony's 
supplies  and  "Winslow's  belongings,  the  unpleasant- 
ness was  soon  forgotten  in  welcoming  him  and  the 
popular  captain,  William  Pierce,  now  an  old  friend, 
by  his  frequent  visits  to  Plymouth  with  various 
ships.  One  special  parcel  Edward  Winslow  de- 
livered with  care  to  the  governor's  wife.  It  was  a 
gift  to  her  of  a  package  of  spices  from  her  old  friend, 
Robert  Cushman,  in  London. 

The  bountiful  summer  was  enjoyed  in  "  peace  and 
health  and  contented  minds."  We  may  think  of  the 
women  in  their  gardens  tending  lovingly  the  plants 
grown  from  seeds  carefully  brought  from  other 
gardens,  far  away,  where  memories  must  have  been 
tended  as  well  as  flowers.  Those  who  would,  might 
join  the  children  and  dogs  in  walks  on  the  sea 
shore  and  in  the  woods,  bringing  to  their  homes 
decorations  in  the  form  of  flowers  and  shells.  One 
writer  has  said,  "The  first  ornaments  of  the  houses 
were  probably  the  periwinkle  shells,  their  memory 
deserves  to  be  cherished  like  the  arbutus  flower 
among  the  things  that  awaken  Pilgrim  memories." 

The  first  quickly  built  dwellings  were  now  solidi- 
fied into  comfortable  houses,  various  rooms  being 


150  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

added  from  time  to  time,  with  furniture  colony-made 
or  imported;  the  ground  plots  around  them  were 
kept  attractively,  some  of  them  being  washed  by  the 
bubbling  waters  of  Town  Brook,  as  it  flowed  past, 
and  most  of  them  enclosed  with  palings  or  wooden 
walls,  against  which  fruit  trees  and  vines  were 
trained,  as  in  kitchen  gardens  of  the  old  country. 
Sometimes  at  day's  close,  it  was  possible  to  watch  or 
partake  in  the  old  English  game  of  stool-ball,  a 
distant  cousin  of  croquet. 

An  evening  in  late  summer  beautifies  the  land- 
scape with  its  serene  light.  Through  the  garden  be- 
hind the  house,  Mary  Brewster  walks  with  her 
daughters.  They  come  toward  the  brook  and  pause 
to  enjoy  their  surroundings.  From  the  woodland 
across  the  stream  the  purple  and  golden  flowers 
of  the  season  bend  toward  them  in  the  lightest  of 
airs;  the  robins  fly  from  bush  to  tree,  preparing  to 
rest.  We  seem  to  feel  with  them  the  remembrance 
of  another  scene  of  a  summer  evening  long  passed, 
when  these  three  walked  down  through  the  grounds 
of  Scrooby  Manor  to  Ryton  Stream  to  say  farewell. 
But  Town  Brook  does  not  see  the  same  expression 
of  sadness  and  uncertainty  among  them  as  Ryton 
saw;  the  long  shafts  of  illuminating  light  reveal 
countenances  where  only  satisfaction  and  tranquility 
dwell. 

The  kitchen  at  the  Winslow's  presents  a  lively 
scene  this  autumn  morning.  The  Mistress  and  Mary 
Becket  are  in  the  depths  of  preparations  for  a  feast 


and  Women   of  Plymouth  Colony  151 

and  not  an  ordinary  one.  Susanna  is  registering 
great  cheerfulness  and  Mary  decided  efficiency.  Two 
important  causes  may  be  found  both  for  the  feast 
and  good  spirits.  First,  the  master  of  the  house 
returned  yesterday  from  a  somewhat  hazardous  but 
extremely  successful  trading  trip  far  up  the  coast. 
The  principal  men  of  the  old  set  were  with  him,  so 
several  other  wives  were  also  rejoicing  at  the  re- 
turn. The  great  quantity  of  beaver  would  make  who 
would,  a  fur  coat  for  the  coming  winter,  like  those 
the  Indian  women  wore  so  comfortably.  And  as  for 
Mary  —  why  George  Soule  had  told  her  last  evening 
that  she  was  the  only  woman  for  him,  and  indeed 
she  would  not  be  as  long  making  up  her  mind  on 
that  subject  as  Mary  Chilton  had  been  in  making 
up  hers  on  a  like  matter.  All  of  which  shows  that 
an  elaborate  cooking  program  was  a  small  matter 
this  morning.  And  the  feast?  Why,  it  is  to  be  a 
supper  party  in  compliment  to  Mary  Chilton  and 
John  Winslow  who  have  recently  become  engaged. 
The  date  hinged  on  Edward  Winslow 's  return,  but  it. 
had  been  thoroughly  planned  when  he  left.  George 
Soule  had  been  shooting  one  day  and  brought  home 
a  number  of  plump  birds  and  a  pair  of  wild  turkeys. 
These  two  are  not  the  sole  occupants  of  the  kitch- 
en, for  others  come  and  go.  George  Soule  keeps  up 
the  noble  fire  by  adding  great  oak  sticks  to  the 
andirons  in  the  mammoth  fire-place  and  adjusting 
the  multitude  of  hooks  and  chains  and  cooking  uten- 
sils as  they  are  needed.  From  the  crane,  big  iron 
kettles  exhale  delicious  odors,  while  numerous 


152  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

skillets  hold  different  important  positions,  the  con- 
tents of  each  cooking  at  its  appointed  degree  of  heat, 
while  on  the  high  mantle  shelf  above,  the  hour  glass 
is  watched  and  turned.  As  the  great  oven  door  is 
opened,  what  fragrance!  Simmels,  buns,  biscuits 
and  pastry  and  what  besides !  Enter  an  Indian 
with  a  bag  of  oysters  specially  ordered,  since  none 
are  in  Plymouth  waters ;  they  are  to  be  baked  in 
individual  scallop  shells,  in  the  old,  yet  familiar  way, 
with  breadcrumbs  and  butter.  Mrs.  Hopkins  comes 
with  the  kindly  object  of  showing  just  how  she 
manufactures  on  rare  occasions  her  wonderful  dish 
called  "Hennes  in  Brette."  The  hens  must  be 
scalded  and  cut  in  pieces,  fried  lightly  with  pork, 
spice  and  crumbs,  basted  with  ale,  and  colored  gold 
with  saffron.  The  turkeys  are  stuffed  with  beechnuts 
and  will  be  roasted  on  the  spit.  A  plum  pudding  is 
bubbling  in  one  of  the  kettles,  and  dumplings  of  flour 
in  another,  to  garnish  the  chicken  dish;  pumpkin 
pies  are  made  and  standing  aside,  so  too,  loaves  of 
brown  and  white  bread.  Vegetables  await  their  turn 
—  samp,  onions,  parsnips,  turnips,  peas;  the  succo- 
tash is  mixed,  composed  of  corn,  beans  and  meat.  A 
ham  is  boiling,  likewise  clam  chowder.  Mary  pulls 
a  pan  out  of  the  oven  —  the  nokake  is  done  to  a 
turn! 

Edward  and  John  Winslow  have  thoughtfully 
been  asked  for  dinner  by  Mrs.  Bradford  —  there 
could  hardly  be  much  chance  for  them  at  home,  this 
day.  Afternoon  comes  on  apace  and  there  is  much 
for  the  last  part  for  Susanna  and  the  last  moments 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  153 

for  Mary  and  Hobomok's  wife,  who  will  help  in  th<5 
evening.  The  leg  of  mutton,  rarest  treat,  with 
cucumber  sauce,  or  couch,  for  the  mutton  to  rest  on 
is  certainly  perfection;  the  cucumbers,  sliced  and 
parboiled  have  drained,  then  butter  fried,  now, 
with  condiments,  onion,  mutton  gravy  and  lemon 
juice  they  are  simmering  gently,  occasionally  tossed 
about.  A  poloc,  or  stew  of  small  birds,  smothered 
with  rice,  onion  and  herbs,  adds  another  to  the  won- 
derful combination  of  fragrance.  And  now  come  the 
partridges  —  a  broth  of  boiled  marrow  bones, 
strained  and  put  in  an  earthen  dish  with  wine  and 
spices  is  the  delectable  fluid  in  which  they  are 
cooked,  the  birds  having  been  stuffed  with  whole 
peppers  and  marrow.  Salad,  cranberry  tarts,  grape 
jelly,  pudding  with  strawberry  sauce,  and  a  marve- 
lous sufflet,  rich,  frothing  and  crisp,  (a  pound  roll  of 
butter  enlarged  to  half  a  dozen  times  its  original 
size,  from  being  turned  on  a  long  rod  resting  on  the 
fire  hooks,  continuously  dredged  with  flour  and  eaten 
as  soon  as  possible.)  Late  in  the  day,  Mrs.  Warren 
comes  in  to  direct  the  making  of  her  special  dish, 
another  of  the  rarities,  called  cheese  cake ;  boiled  milk 
with  beaten  eggs  has  been  cooling  and  curdling  since 
last  evening,  it  is  now  strained  and  to  it  added  but- 
ter, mace,  rose-water  and  wine,  currants  and  syrup. 
Pastry  forms  are  waiting  to  hold  this  combination 
for  a  few  seconds  in  the  oven.  Elderblow  wine 
(made  by  the  old  French  receipt  the  women  had 
learned  on  the  Continent,  of  sugar,  fruit,  blossoms 
and  yeast),  cider,  spiced  ale  and  some  of  the  excel- 


154 


lent  wine  which  Edward  Winslow  brought  on  his 
return  from  England,  are  to  help  digest  this  marve- 
lous menu  —  and  of  great  interest  are  the  first  ap- 
ples from  the  Winslow 's  new  orchard,  likewise  honey 
from  Plymouth  bees,  a  recent  industry. 

Truly  a  feast — yet  when  it  was  ready,  Susanna 
met  her  guests  with  smiles,  and  renewed  the  admira- 
tion in  the  heart  of  her  prospective  young  sister-in- 
law.  Those  who  partook  of  this  supper  and  lived  to 
tell  the  tale  were  the  old  friends,  of  course,  for  Mary 
Chilton  was  ever  a  favorite  and  one  of  the  Mayflower 
girls,  so  none  of  that  list  could  be  omitted,  (Cap- 
tain Standish  on  a  mission  in  England,  was  missed), 
and  now  that  there  was  so  large  a  younger  set  com- 
ing on  to  take  the  place  of  those  who  had  married, 
many  of  them  must  be  invited,  besides  the  recent 
brides  and  bridegrooms,  themselves,  and  one  or  two 
of  John  Winslow 's  joyous  and  special  friends  of  the 
Fortune  who  might  still  be  fancy  free,  but  could  not 
be  omitted  on  that  account.  That  this  invigorating 
occasion  was  a  success  there  is  no  doubt,  and  marked 
a  crest  of  the  life  of  those  first  five  years  of  the 
Pilgrims  in  Plymouth. 

Days  go  on,  no  matter  how  bright,  they  may  not 
be  held.  In  a  few  years,  changes  —  as  ever. 

We  may  look  at  a  scene  on  another  crisp  autumn 
morning.  It  is  Sunday  and  there  is  stillness  in  the 
town.  Suddenly  the  drum  rolls  and  people  come 
from  their  houses  to  assemble  for  the  morning  wor- 
ship in  the  fort.  The  guard  has  formed  in  front  of 


155 


the  house  of  Captain  Standish.  Led  by  a  sergeant, 
in  rows  of  three  abreast,  followed  by  the  Governor, 
the  Elder,  and  the  Captain,  all  wearing  cloaks  and 
carrying  arms,  they  march  silently  up  the  hill.  The 
rest  of  the  population  who  may  be  going  to  the  serv- 
ice this  morning  are  ready  to  proceed  also,  for,  un- 
like the  severity  of  the  rule  from  which  these  people 
fled,  church  attendance  was  expected  but  not  com- 
pulsory. There  are  extra  colors  and  numbers  this 
morning.  The  town  is  entertaining  a  distinguished 
guest  whose  visit  is  to  mark  that  tide  in  their  affairs 
which,  owing  to  their  readiness  to  take  at  the  flood, 
is  to  lead  them  on  to  fortune.  Plymouth  frequently 
entertains  strangers,  but  this  rotund,  handsomely 
dressed  gentleman,  with  the  sharp  eyes  seeing  all 
about  him,  with  his  several  retainers  and  trumpeters, 
who  walk  on  each  side  of  him,  though  no  notes  are 
sounded  this  morning,  is  of  more  importance  than 
any  whom  Plymouth  has  received.  He  represents 
the  first  foreign  mission  for  commercial  and  personal 
benefits,  and  is  the  Secretary  of  the  Dutch  colony, 
five  hundred  miles  to  the  southward,  Isaac  de 
Rasieres. 

The  intercourse  already  satisfactorily  begun  by 
negotiations  culminating  in  this  visit,  was  to  be  of 
mutual  benefit  for  many  years.  The  boat  from  Man- 
hattan became  a  regularly  welcomed  bearer  to 
Plymouth  women  of  bright  materials  for  clothes, 
sugar  and  other  necessaries  —  in  time  quite  the 
rival  of  a  boat  from  England  —  the  payment  for 
these  was  by  home  grown  tobacco,  therefore  nearly 


156  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

as  interesting  a  crop  as  corn.  Even  the  latter  was  to 
be  replaced  by  something  else  as  a  medium  of  ex- 
change through  the  visit  of  Monsieur  de  Rasieres. 
Wampum,  familiar  word  to  us,  but  strange  to  Plym- 
outh people,  was  to  make  an  important  and  perma- 
nent appearance,  and  to  prove  that  shells  on  the 
shore  were  as  a  gold  mine  at  the  feet  of  the  Pil- 
grims. 

The  ceremonious  assent  to  the  fort  is  accom- 
plished, the  congregation  taking  their  places  —  the 
women  on  one  side  of  the  room,  the  men  on  the 
other,  according  to  custom.  To  the  visitor  all  is 
strange,  new  and  interesting.  We  rejoice  in  the  days 
he  spent  in  Plymouth,  for  the  advantage  which  came 
to  the  Pilgrims  and  for  the  legacy  which  came  to  us 
in  the  form  of  his  written  accounts  of  his  visit. 

As  William  Davidson,  experienced  statesman  and 
courtier,  in  a  long  ago  visit  to  Scrooby,  opened  a 
door  of  destiny  through  which  it  was  appointed  that 
William  Brewster  was  to  lead  this  people  into  a  new 
world  of  liberty,  so  by  this  visit  of  Isaac  de  Rasieres, 
travelled  man  of  the  world,  to  Plymouth,  another 
way  was  opened  by  which  they  were  to  reach,  also 
prosperity  and  prominence.  The  portraits  of  these 
two  men  should  hang  as  companion  medallions  in  the 
hall  of  Pilgrim  memory,  as  doubtless  they  did  in  the 
mind  of  William  Brewster,  himself  having  as  much 
worldly  experience  as  either,  with  the  personal  at- 
tractions of  each;  loved  friend  of  one,  respected 
acquaintance  of  the  other. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  157 

At  this  time,  the  rather  difficult  role  of  step-moth- 
er was  being  played  in  three  of  the  households.  We 
know  the  families  quite  well,  and  are  particularly 
interested  in  the  women.  The  eldest  in  the  position 
is  Elizabeth  Hopkins.  If  the  part  did  not  come 
easily  to  Stephen  Hopkins'  second  wife,  the  respon- 
sibilities of  it  are  now  lessened,  since  Constance  has 
recently  added  to  the  list  of  Mayflower  brides  by 
marrying  Nicholas  Snow  and  going  to  a  home  of  her 
own.  An  impression  seemed  to  prevail  that  Mistress 
Hopkins  was  rather  jealous  of  her  predecessor's  son, 
Giles,  on  account  of  her  own  son,  Caleb,  yet  it  is 
through  Giles  only,  that  the  name  has  been  carried 
down  to  the  present.  Her  four  girls,  Damaris,  De- 
borah, Ruth  and  Elizabeth,  made  a  lively  home  for 
any  brother.  Oceanus,  born  on  the  Mayflower,  did 
not  live  beyond  babyhood.  The  women  of  that  day 
were  just  as  human  as  of  this,  and  amid  all  her 
fine  qualities,  if  there  was  a  little  flaw,  it  no  doubt 
came  of  her  very  fondness  for  her  husband. 

Across  the  street,  in  the  governor's  house,  Alice 
Bradford  has  three  boys  to  share  the  love  and  inter- 
est with  her  own,  and  the  devotion  of  four.  We  have 
already  seen  one  of  them,  Thomas  Cushman,  left  by 
his  father  with  Governor  Bradford,  until  he  should 
return  to  live  in  Plymouth  —  but  Myles  Standish, 
returning  from  his  mission  to  England,  had  brought 
with  other  regretful  tidings,  the  knowledge  that 
Robert  Cushman  would  not  come  again.  Another 
fatherless  boy,  whom  we  have  had  but  a  glimpse  of, 
is  Nathaniel  Morton,  nephew  to  Alice  Bradford. 


158 


George  Morton  lived  but  a  short  time  as  resident  of 
Plymouth,  leaving  his  wife  and  family  alone  in  the 
new  house,  but  the  governor  took  Nathaniel  to  bring 
up  as  a  son,  and  Juliana  Carpenter  Morton  married 
again.  The  third  boy  is  also  fatherless  in  actual 
sense;  he  has  recently  come  to  Plymouth,  but  to  the 
most  loving  mother  and  affectionate  step-father  boy 
could  desire,  for  this  is  Constant  Southworth  come 
from  London  to  his  new  home  in  the  governor's 
house  in  Plymouth,  as  his  mother  had  done,  whom 
he  strongly  resembles  in  looks.  And  the  fourth  boy? 
He  is  not  fatherless,  but  has  only  lately  come  to  re- 
new both  the  acquaintance  and  affection  of  his  pa- 
rent, being  John  Bradford,  from  Amsterdam,  young- 
est of  the  quartette,  and  seeing  him  we  are  reminded 
of  his  girl  mother,  the  governor's  first  wife.  This 
group  is  soon  to  be  added  to  by  Thomas  Southworth, 
whom  his  mother  is  expecting  from  England.  We 
can  imagine  these  boys  having  a  pretty  good  time 
in  the  loving  home  of  the  Bradfords,  and  among 
them  grew  up  the  three  babies,  half  brothers  and 
half  sister  to  John  Bradford  and  the  Southworth 
boys  —  only  one  girl  to  amuse  and  tease  them 
through  the  years  of  childhood,  the  governor's 
daughter,  Mercy.  Although  step-mother  to  but  one, 
the  part  had  no  chance  for  prominence  with  Alice 
Bradford,  in  being  at  the  same  time  aunt  to  one, 
friend  to  another  and  mother  to  five.  Perhaps  it 
was  because  of  this  masculine  element  at  home,  that 
Mistress  Bradford  was  known  for  her  special  inter- 
est in  the  young  girls  of  the  colony  —  daughters  of 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  159 

her  neighbors  and  playmates  of  her  Mercy,  such 
advantages  and  accomplishments  as  she  had,  she 
taught  them.  No  wonder  she  welcomed  her  hus- 
band's suggestion  of  having  her  youngest  sister, 
Priscilla  Carpenter,  come  from  England  to  make  her 
home  with  them. 

Another  woman,  of  the  style  and  character  of 
Alice  Bradford,  the  third  and  youngest  step-mother, 
making  such  a  success  in  her  position  as  to  prove 
her  the  good  angel  of  the  family  into  which  she 
came,  is  Fear  Brewster  —  now  Mrs.  Isaac  Allerton. 
She  already  had  the  love  of  Bartholomew,  Remember 
and  Mary  —  quite  grown  out  of  childhood,  but  they 
must  have  been  as  surprised  as  the  rest  of  the  so- 
ciety of  Plymouth  that  their  father  could  win  her 
for  his  wife,  as  he  was  so  much  older  than  she  and 
always  seeming  rather  preoccupied  and  self-satis- 
fied. It  speaks  well  for  him  that  such  was  the  case 
and  that  her  attachment  and  loyalty  never  wavered 
through  the  brief  years  of  her  married  life  —  and 
that  it  was  a  shield  to  him  from  public  criticism  or 
censure  is  well  known.  This  not  only  places  her 
before  us  against  a  background  of  esteem  for  her- 
self, but  in  a  reflection  of  the  high  regard  and  af- 
fection in  which  her  father  was  held.  Before  matri- 
monial trials  confronted  her  daughter,  Mary  Brew- 
ster, loved  and  loving,  finished  her  pilgrimage;  the 
lack  of  her  presence  affected  many  lives,  her  absence 
was  an  abiding  sorrow.  Love  of  wealth  seems  sud- 
denly to  have  overtaken  Isaac  Allerton  which  made 
everything  else  of  small  importance.  The  pursuit 


160  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

of  it  took  him  constantly  and  for  long  periods  away 
from  home,  so  his  wife  had  little  of  his  company. 
His  talents  were  of  use  to  the  colony,  at  times,  in 
England,  but  he  seemed  to  really  care  very  little 
for  his  old  friends.  Nevertheless,  it  was  he  who 
completed  the  arrangements  which  closed  the  con- 
nection between  the  original  settlers  of  Plymouth 
and  the  Merchant  Adventurers  in  London.  Plym- 
outh, thereby,  paid  all  its  indebtedness  for  assistance 
given  and  went  its  way  alone.  He  also  procured 
patents  for  increased  land  holdings  for  the  colony, 
especially  in  Maine.  His  complete  indifference  to 
anything  but  his  own  ends  was,  perhaps,  never  better 
shown  than  when  he  returned  from  one  of  his  trips 
to  England,  bringing,  as  secretary,  a  man  who  was 
already  too  well  and  unfavorably  known  by  Plym- 
outh and  the  surrounding  settlements,  called  Mor- 
ton of  Merry  Mount,  who  had  been  sent  to  England 
the  year  before,  as  an  undesirable.  That  Allerton 
could  bring  this  man  to  his  home,  into  the  society 
of  his  wife  and  daughters,  made  Plymouth  gasp  — 
and  Plymouth  refused  to  stand  it.  The  secretary 
was  dismissed,  and  business  affairs  again  called  Isaac 
Allerton  away.  On  one  of  his  trips  he  took  his  son 
to  visit  in  England,  and  Bartholomew  did  not  re- 
turn to  Plymouth. 

About  this  time,  two  girls  of  the  Anne  added  to 
the  procession  of  brides:  Mary  Warren  marrying 
Kobert  Bartlett  and  Jane  Cooke  marrying  Expe- 
rience Mitchell. 

Passengers  and  letters  came  on  the  ships  contin- 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  161 

ually,  both  to  Plymouth  and  the  other  settlements 
that  were  growing  likewise.  Persons  desiring  to 
come  to  the  New  World,  took  what  ship  they  could 
and  landed  where  the  ship  took  them.  Plymouth 
having  boats  could  always  send  for  their  own  voyag- 
ers and  mail  whenever  word  was  received  that  a 
ship  had  come  from  the  other  side,  though  not  to 
their  harbor.  Thus,  one  day,  a  letter  came  to  Hu- 
mility Cooper,  which  changed  the  quiet  current  of 
her  life  as  it  seemed  to  be  running  in  Plymouth. 
Relatives  in  England  wanted  her  to  return.  This 
was  a  surprise  to  her  and  to  her  good  friends,  but, 
half  wanting  to  stay  and  half  wanting  to  go,  Hu- 
mility prepared  for  leave  taking.  Henry  Sampson, 
her  cousin,  was  now  grown  up  —  she  need  feel  no 
special  reluctance  —  but  she  was  Elizabeth  How- 
land 's  last  link  with  her  childhood's  days.  As  Ed- 
ward Winslow  was  sailing  shortly  for  England,  on 
business  for  the  colony,  Humility  said  farewell  to  the 
ten  years  of  Mayflower  and  Plymouth  association 
and  went  back  under  his  care. 

During  her  husband's  absence,  Susanna  Wins- 
low's  brother,  Doctor  Fuller,  was  also  from  Plym- 
outh. The  new  colonies  of  Salem  and  Massachusetts 
Bay,  just  starting,  met  with  the  same  devastating 
illness  that  had  befallen  the  Mayflower  passen- 
gers, and,  as  they  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose 
their  doctor  among  the  first  victims,  they  appeal- 
ed to  Plymouth — and  no  appeal  to  Plymouth 
was  ever  in  vain.  Doctor  Fuller  went  to  Salem 
and  the  Bay  and  had  great  success  in  curing  many, 


162 


though  nearly  exhausting  his  supply  of  medicines. 

During  this  year,  and  the  next,  all  the  old  friends 
still  in  Leyden,  who  had  waited  so  long  to  come, 
were  brought  over  at  Plymouth's  expense  and  there 
was  great  satisfaction  that  distance  no  longer  divid- 
ed them.  But  the  saintly  Robinson  was  not  among 
them.  Five  years  earlier,  the  Pilgrim  men  and 
women  grieved  to  learn  that  he  would  never  come  to 
them  —  his  earthly  labors  having  ceased.  His  wife 
and  oldest  son  became  his  representatives  in  Plym- 
outh. 

Intercourse  between  Plymouth  and  the  newly  es- 
tablished colonial  neighbors  became  frequent,  lead- 
ing to  interchange  of  visits  and  even  of  residence. 
The  newcomers  were  duly  sensible  of  what  they 
owed  to  the  Plymouth  settlers,  who  had  blazed  the 
way. 

The  opening  of  their  second  decade  in  the  New 
"World  showed  great  contrasts  to  those  Plymouth 
women  who  remembered  what  the  first  year  and 
those  immediately  following  had  been.  Now,  they 
were  able  to  see  and  hear  of  the  experiences  of 
others,  close  at  hand,  with  much  in  common.  The 
ships  from  England  were  no  longer  their  only  con- 
nection with  the  outside  world  nor  their  only  source 
of  supplies,  other  than  food.  Massachusetts  Bay  and 
Salem  were  glad  to  exchange  commodities,  as  well 
as  Manhattan,  but,  being  so  much  nearer,  grew  more 
interlocked  with  the  life  and  interests  of  Plymouth. 

The  ceremonial  visit  by  the  Governor  and  Assis- 
tants of  Plymouth  to  the  Governor  of  the  Bay  and 


163 


his  wife,  with  the  return  of  like  courtesies  by  Gover- 
nor Winthrop  to  Governor  and  Mrs.  Bradford  were 
brilliant  incidents.  Soon  fashions,  not  clothes,  and 
luxuries,  not  necessities,  for  the  home  were  frequent 
thoughts  to  the  women,  instead  of  almost  forgotten 
or  sternly  repressed  instincts.  Though  they  had 
not  fashion  books,  some  sent  for  garments  and  hats 
from  the  old  country  and  the  fortunate  possessors 
lent  these  new  fashioned  articles  as  models  for  their 
neighbors.  A  very  taking  way  of  introducing  styles 
to  the  colonists  was  by  dressed  dolls,  or  "babies"  as 
they  were  called,  that  displayed  them  in  careful 
miniature.  During  recent  seasons  this  idea  has  been 
re-introduced,  as  may  be  seen  in  some  of  the  shop 
windows  in  our  cities.  We  learn  that,  withal,  there 
was  sometimes  a  shortage  of  sugar,  which  strikes  a 
responsive  chord  in  the  memory  of  housewives  three 
hundred  years  later. 

If  the  arrival  of  the  first  cows  was  a  never-to-be 
forgotten  joy  to  the  women  of  the  Mayflower  and 
of  the  Anne,  the  entrance  of  horses  into  Plymouth 
life  was  elation.  The  pleasure  of  owning  a  horse 
while  it  was  a  novelty  for  their  circumstances,  must 
have  aroused  the  same  feeling  as  the  acquirement  of 
an  automobile  has  in  families  of  our  day;  when  not 
an  owner,  to  have  a  special  object  of  ambition,  if  a 
possessor,  then  a  willing  recipient  of  neighborly  ad- 
miration. The  advantage  of  a  horse  to  a  woman, 
then,  was  to  ride  on  a  pillion  behind  a  male  member 
of  the  family  to  meeting  or  to  visit  (until  carriages 
came,  much  later),  or  else,  if  quite  accomplished,  to 


164  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

ride  alone,  often  with  children,  baskets,  or  even  a 
spinning  wheel,  as  well,  on  the  back  of  the  amiable 
friend  of  the  family. 

Ere  long,  life  took  on  the  virility  and  color  we 
associate  with  that  spectacular  period  known  as 
Colonial.  Naturally,  Plymouth  now  began  to  over- 
flow its  first  boundaries.  As  the  children  of  the 
families  and  worldly  possessions  increased,  many 
made  summer  homes  where  the  cattle  could  have 
greater  range  and  families  more  room.  These  new 
houses  were  built  quite  in  the  manner  of  bungalows, 
for  occupancy  between  frosts.  Winters  saw  the 
Plymouth  residences  occupied  again.  Gradually, 
however,  the  summer  homes  became  permanent,  be- 
ing made  habitable  for  winter  also,  and  edifices  for 
the  religious  services  were  erected.  By  another 
decade  Plymouth  Colony  comprised  several  towns, 
outgrowths  of  the  original.  The  new  brides  could 
make  a  wedding  journey  if  they  pleased,  and  some 
went  away  altogether  to  make  their  new  homes.  The 
governor's  wife  was  especially  interested  in  two  of 
the  weddings  at  this  time  —  that  of  her  sister,  Pris- 
cilla  Carpenter  and  her  niece,  Patience  Morton. 
The  former  was  soon  a  widow,  and,  like  her  sisters, 
married  again.  Patience  became  the  mother  of 
Thomas  Faunce  —  a  link  between  two  centuries  — 
the  identifier,  in  his  old  age,  of  Plymouth  Rock, 
telling  to  his  and  other  generations  what  his  parents 
had  told  to  him,  having  learned  from  the  first 
comers. 

Governor  Bradford  insisted  that  if  the  office  he 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  165 

had  held  so  long  was  an  honor  and  satisfaction, 
others  should  share  it,  if  it  was  a  care  and  duty, 
others  should  experience  its  responsibilities  also;  his 
health  had  been  somewhat  undermined  by  the  efforts 
he  had  given  to  guide  the  temporal  affairs  of  the 
colony  throughout  the  years  since  he  succeeded 
Governor  Carver,  and  he  absolutely  declined  a  re- 
election. Edward  Winslow,  having  returned  from 
England,  was  chosen. 

Thus  Susanna  became  the  first  lady  of  Plymouth; 
easily  pictured  wearing  the  dainty  white  satin,  lace 
trimmed  slippers,  or  the  white  satin  cape,  actually 
to  be  seen  now,  in  Plymouth,  visible  magic  means  of 
carrying  us  back  to  her  days  from  the  present. 
Alice  Bradford  smilingly  relinquished  her  position 
to  her  friend  and  devoted  her  efforts  to  restoring 
her  husband's  health.  Yet  this  twelve-month  con- 
tained more  of  trial,  anxiety  and  annoyance  than 
the  colony  had  experienced  in  many  a  year;  it  could 
not  have  been  other  than  a  sorrowful  memory  to 
Susanna. 

Early  in  the  spring  a  strange  swarm  of  large 
noisy  flies  came  out  of  the  ground  —  ate  the  young 
green  things,  and  disappeared.  Such  had  never 
been  seen  by  the  colonists  and  the  Indians  foretold 
sickness.  This  prophecy  proved  all  too  true  and 
during  the  summer  and  autumn  a  devastating  fever 
swept  away  a  score  or  more  of  men,  women  and 
children ;  some  were  of  the  new  comers  from  Leyden, 
but  the  weight  of  the  sadness  was  among  the  old 
families.  Gentle  Fear  Brewster  Allerton  was  laid 


166  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

to  rest  beside  her  mother,  on  Burial  Hill,  leaving  her 
baby  boy,  Isaac,  to  her  sorrowing  father's  care,  who 
was  spending  the  summer  with  his  two  unmarried 
sons  on  their  farm  in  the  country.  Isaac  Allerton's 
sister,  Sarah  Cuthbertson,  was  also  a  victim  to  the 
infection,  likewise  her  husband.  While  Susanna 
Winslow  was  mourning  these  two  friends,  her 
brother,  the  doctor,  after  fighting  the  disease  for  the 
help  of  others,  succumbed.  This  shock  and  loss  to 
the  colonists  was  felt  not  only  in  Plymouth  —  while 
in  Plymouth  grief  was  deep.  This  educated, 
Christian  gentleman  was  sadly  missed  for  many  a 
year.  What  he  was  to  the  people  can  be  easily 
imagined.  His  widow  and  children  were  devoted 
to  his  memory;  in  after  years,  the  son,  Samuel, 
studied  for  the  ministry  and  married  a  granddaugh- 
ter of  Elder  Brewster;  the  daughter,  Mercy,  mar- 
ried Ralph  James;  but  his  profession  was  carried 
on  in  the  Old  Colony,  after  a  time,  by  his  nephews  — 
his  namesake  Samuel  —  whom  we  have  known  of 
since  the  Pilgrims'  emigration  from  Holland  —  and 
Matthew,  who  came  later  to  Plymouth. 

The  business  affairs  of  the  Colony  became  compli- 
cated in  their  trade  on  the  Connecticut  River,  both 
because  of  the  Dutch  and  Indians.  At  home,  Roger 
Williams,  whom  they  had  befriended,  acted  in  a 
very  unpleasant  manner,  so  they  were  glad  when  he 
left  them.  Notwithstanding  the  clouds  over-shadow- 
ing them,  this  year's  return  of  the  trade  in  furs  was 
noteworthy,  and  as  election  time  drew  near,  it  was 
decided  that  it  would  be  best  for  Edward  Winslow 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  167 

to  go  again  to  England  on  their  foreign  business; 
therefore  Thomas  Prence  was  elected  Governor  and 
Susanna  was  again  left  alone  with  her  children. 
The  White  boys  were  now  sturdy,  manly  lads,  a 
comfort  and  joy  to  Susanna  and  the  admiration  of 
their  small  brothers  and  sister,  the  Winslows.  An- 
other brother-in-law,  Kenelm,  was  a  visitor  in  her 
home,  and  appearances  indicated  that  he  would  re- 
main as  a  permanent  resident  of  Plymouth. 

Several  marriages  occurred  before  a  year  closed. 
Ann  Warren  became  Mrs.  Thomas  Little  and  her 
sister,  Sarah,  became  Mrs.  John  Cooke,  Jr. 

Recently  a  family  of  four  girls  had  come  to  the 
colony  with  their  father,  William  Collier,  a  wealthy 
merchant  from  London;  from  among  them  one  of 
the  Brewster  boys  selected  his  wife  and  Sarah  Col- 
lier went  as  Love's  bride  to  the  Duxbury  home  to 
try  to  bring  cheerfulness  to  the  three  lonely  men 
there  and  to  help  care  for  little  Isaac  Allerton,  his 
mother's  legacy  to  her  family,  until  he  should  grow 
up.  Remember  Allerton  married  also,  and  was  one 
of  the  girls  who  went  away  from  Plymouth  to  a  new 
home  in  Salem,  leaving  her  sister  Mary,  to  give  their 
father  such  attention  as  he  needed  in  his  rare  visits 
home. 

At  this  time,  in  Boston,  eggs  were  three  cents  a 
dozen,  milk  one  cent  a  quart,  butter  six  and  cheese 
five  cents  a  pound,  so  housekeepers  not  caring  for 
the  somewhat  higher  prices  in  Plymouth,  could  send 
for  butter  or  cheese  at  least,  if  they  did  not  make  it 
themselves,  and  felt  economically  inclined. 


168  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

In  the  early  part  of  the  new  administration,  when 
Patience  Brewster  Prence  was  mistress  of  the  execu- 
tive mansion  (which  was  the  Governor's  own  house, 
whichever  one  it  was),  certain  affairs  concerned  two 
of  the  Plymouth  women  mightily,  Priscilla  Alden 
and  Barbara  Standish,  but  particularly  the  former, 
which  was  caused  by  the  interference  in  Plymouth's 
affairs  by  Massachusetts  Bay,  through  misrepresen- 
tation. John  Alden  putting  into  Boston  from  a  trip 
to  the  Kennebec  trading  station,  was  held  there  and 
imprisoned  until  Plymouth  should  explain  its  con- 
nection with  a  shooting  incident  in  which  two  men 
were  killed  at  the  station.  The  ship  was  allowed  to 
return  to  Plymouth  bringing  the  news  of  this  cool 
proceeding,  which,  we  can  imagine  made  John  Al- 
den's  wife  anything  but  cool,  and  we  can  also  think 
that  the  Governor  was  not  allowed  to  delay  in  get- 
ting John  Alden  home  to  his  family.  To  do  so, 
Captain  Myles  Standish  was  dispatched  to  Boston, 
with  the  facts  of  the  unpleasant  incident  at  the 
trading  station,  which  were  so  different  from  the 
representation  which  the  Bay  authorities  had  re- 
ceived that  John  Alden  was  immediately  set  at 
liberty.  We  can  appreciate  the  feelings  of  both 
Barbara  and  Priscilla  as  they  looked  for  the  return 
of  the  ship  again.  Barbara  anxious  for  the  success 
of  her  husband's  efforts  to  release  the  husband  of 
her  friend,  and  Priscilla  both  indignant  and  wor- 
ried. However,  the  incident  was  happily  concluded, 
though  more  than  Priscilla  were  indignant  in  Plym- 
outh. 


169 


Later  in  the  year,  news  came  from  London  which 
caused  the  heart  of  Susanna  to  burn  with  indigna- 
tion in  her  turn,  and  for  the  same  cause  concerning 
her  husband  as  had  agitated  Priscilla.  Through  the 
old  jealousy  of  the  Church  authorities,  on  trumped 
up  charges  concerning  the  business  on  which  Wins- 
low  went  to  England,  which  was  in  behalf  also  cf 
the  Bay,  he  was  held  for  many  weeks  in  the  Fleet 
Street  prison.  Fortunately  friends  were  able  to  re- 
lease him  —  but  it  was  some  time  before  he  was  able 
to  return  to  his  family  in  Plymouth. 

Meanwhile  Eleanor  Newton  Adams  and  Priscilla 
Carpenter  "Wright,  both  made  widows  by  the  epi- 
demic of  the  previous  year,  became  wives  again.  The 
marriage  of  the  former,  who  had  been  left  quite  well 
off,  was  of  special  interest  to  Susanna  since  she  be- 
came her  sister-in-law,  Mrs.  Kenelm  Winslow,  the 
third  Mrs.  Winslow  of  Plymouth  and  Marshfield,  as 
all  had  summer  places  in  the  latter  suburb  of  Plym- 
outh  Careswell,  the  Edward  Winslow  place,  soon 

became  a  permanent  abode,  handsome  of  style  and 
proportions. 

This  year  saw  sorrow  once  more  fall  on  the  mem- 
bers of  the  old  families  —  bound  together  by  the 
powerful  ties  formed  in  the  old  days  —  and  many 
more,  for  at  its  close,  the  Governor's  wife  was  taken 
by  death  —  and  Patience  Brewster  Prence's  short, 
happy  life  was  over.  The  religious  convictions  of 
the  Pilgrims  did  not  admit  of  undue  mourning  for 
their  loved  ones,  since  they  regarded  the  departed 
not  as  victims  to  death,  but  as  victors  through  death, 


170 


and  the  lives  of  those  remaining  must  go  on.  Hearts 
were  true,  nevertheless,  and  even  in  their  wills  the 
men  sometimes  especially  requested  to  be  laid  beside 
the  graves  of  their  wives  and  daughters. 

The  following  year,  April,  brought  a  marriage 
ceremony  performed  by  Captain  Standish,  as  as- 
sistant, which  was  of  interest  to  many  —  that  of 
Samuel  Fuller,  loved  for  his  own  admirable  qualities 
as  well  as  for  being  the  nephew  of  their  Doctor  of 
happy  memory.  His  bride  was  one  of  the  girls  who 
had  helped  in  the  new  settlement  of  Scituate,  found- 
ed by  her  father  and  other  men  from  Kent,  in  Eng- 
land. In  spite  of  all  his  pretty  playmates  in  Plym- 
outh, Samuel  found  this  girl  of  old  England  was 
the  one  to  receive  his  heart.  But  Jane  Lothrop  took 
him  from  Plymouth  to  the  newer  township. 

In  August  a  furious  storm  broke  over  Plymouth 
and  the  surrounding  land  and  sea,  inflicting  great 
damage  and  terrifying  the  women  and  children.  It 
wrecked  many  ships,  killed  cattle  and  blew  roofs 
from  many  of  the  houses  and  knocked  others  to 
pieces  in  Plymouth,  and  uprooted  quantities  of  great 
trees;  the  evidences  of  it  were  prominent  for  many 
years  in  the  blemished  beauty  of  the  great  pines 
which  withstood  the  hurricane,  still  remaining  the 
sentinels  of  Plymouth. 

When  Edward  Winslow  returned,  he  again  served 
as  Governor,  and  one  of  the  weddings  of  that  year 
was  Mary  Allerton's.     She  was  last  but  one  of  the 
Mayflower    girls    to    marry  —  Damaris    Hopkins' 
marriage  to  Jacob  Cooke  completed  the  list.    Mary's 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  171 

courtship  had  begun  in  childhood's  days,  when 
Thomas  Cushman,  in  the  house  across  the  street,  had 
waited  for  her  to  grow  up  —  while  growing  up  him- 
self and  pursuing  his  studies  with  the  other  boys  in 
the  Governor's  family.  At  the  time  of  her  marriage 
the  rumblings  of  the  Pequot  war  were  beginning  to 
be  heard,  which  soon  broke,  owing  to  the  mistakes  of 
the  Bay  Colony,  causing  the  old  time  fears  to  return 
to  Plymouth  women  for  the  safety  of  their  men  and 
themselves.  Under  Captain  Standish,  the  Plymouth 
men  played  their  valiant  part,  and  Thomas  Stanton, 
the  interpreter  for  Massachusetts,  and  Captain  John 
Gallup  did  their  full  share  to  redeem  the  situation. 

Richard  Church  had  not  long  before  come  from 
the  Bay  Colony  to  visit  Plymouth,  but  meeting 
Elizabeth  Warren  decided  him  to  remain  perma- 
nently, in  spite  of  displeasure  from  the  Bay  au- 
thorities, who  missed  him.  He  was  one  of  the 
Plymouth  fighters  in  this  Indian  disturbance,  as  his 
and  Elizabeth's  son,  Benjamin,  was  in  the  greater, 
bloodier  war  of  a  later  time  —  King  Philip 's  —  when 
the  Pilgrim's  good  friend,  Massasoit,  was  dead. 
Plymouth  tried  to  settle  down  to  its  own  affairs  after 
this,  and  had  plenty  to  attend  to. 

A  lovely  June  day  seemed  ushering  in  another 
summer  when  an  unknown  experience  marked  that 
year  as  one  to  date  by  even  as  the  one  of  the  great 
storm.  That  morning  some  of  the  principal  men 
were  meeting  to  discuss  important  questions,  and  in 
the  street  and  about  the  doorsteps  many  of  the 
women  were  talking  of  their  own  or  public  affairs, 


172  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

when  a  violent  though  brief  earthquake  shook  them 
from  their  balance,  and  catching  hold  of  whatever 
was  nearest,  they  heard  the  crashing  and  falling  of 
things  in  their  houses.  The  children  were  fright- 
ened and  began  to  cry,  and  all  the  women  who  were 
indoors  came  running  out,  fearing  the  houses  would 
fall.  The  men  were  no  less  concerned  and  the 
streets  presented  a  lively  scene.  Another  shock  was 
soon  felt  but  less  severe,  and  that  was  the  end. 
Indians  came  hurrying  into  the  town  with  their  ex- 
perience to  relate;  the  quake  was  felt  far  inland 
and  at  sea.  What  with  the  frightful  storm,  the 
alarming  Pequot  trouble  and  this  terrifying  expe- 
rience, all  within  a  comparatively  short  time,  the 
nerves  of  the  women  must  have  been  more  on  edge 
than  for  many  a  day. 

The  young  people  of  Marshfield  and  Duxbury, 
married  and  single,  clung  closely  to  their  friends 
and  associations  of  Plymouth  and  their  amusements 
were  shared  in  common.  Weekly  lecture  day,  a 
diversion  of  sober  character,  was  nevertheless  gladly 
welcomed  as  a  means  of  enjoyable  intercourse,  going 
or  returning.  Maple  sugar  making,  Training  day, 
corn  husking,  apple  bees  were  occasions  for  merry 
gatherings,  the  sequence  found  in  the  frequent  wed- 
dings. Dancing  became  popular,  though  frowned  on 
in  some  quarters,  but  it  could  not  be  repressed  in 
an  age  when  the  desire  for  physical  activity  and  ex- 
citement was  as  natural  as  now.  Some  of  those 
early  dance  names  such  as  High  Betty  Martin,  Con- 
stancy, Orange  Tree,  Rolling  Hornpipe,  The  Ladies 


and   Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  173 

Choice,  compare  with  our  recent  names  of  Hesita- 
tion, Fox  Trot,  One  Step. 

The  Coast  Road  from  Boston,  though  never  more 
than  a  few  feet  wider  than  the  old  Indian  trail, 
came  to  mean  to  the  dwellers  in  the  various  town- 
ships of  Plymouth  such  an  artery  of  connection  to 
the  life  of  all  as  the  Great  North  Road  had  been  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  little  villages,  Scrooby  and  its 
neighbors,  long  ago  homes  to  the  elder  members  of 
the  Colony. 

The  coldest  winter  Plymouth  has  ever  known  has 
frozen  the  harbor  to  a  solid  mass  over  which  ox 
teams  and  sledges  have  been  driven  for  several 
weeks,  an  astonishing  and  interesting  sight  and  one 
may  walk  over  the  ice  to  Duxbury  as  well  as  by  the 
land.  One  afternoon  bright  with  the  lengthening 
daylight  of  the  season,  sees  a  pleasant  picture  in  the 
old  parlor  of  Governor  Bradford's  house,  for  he  is 
again  Governor,  by  urgent  request  of  the  commun- 
ity. A  cheery  fire  blazes  up  the  wide  chimney  and 
there  is  gay  chatter  to  the  tune  of  the  crackling  logs. 
Mistress  Alice  Bradford,  now  a  grandmother  (her 
son,  Constant  South  worth  having  married  Elizabeth 
Collier  and  having  a  little  Alice)  has  invited  several 
of  her  daughter's  special  friends  to  spend  the  day. 
So  we  see  Mercy,  a  delightful  reproduction  of  her 
mother  and  father  both,  as  hostess  to  nine  merry- 
girls:  Mary  Brewster,  Betty  and  Sally  Alden,  from 
Duxbury,  Mary  Cooke,  Mercy  Fuller  and  Deborah 
Hopkins  of  Plymouth,  Lora  Standish  of  Duxbury 


174 


and  Desire  and  Hope  Howland.  Elizabeth  Tilly 
had  given  charming  companion  names  to  her  older 
daughters,  her  first  born  having  been  named  in 
remembrance  of  Desire  Minter,  her  dear  friend. 
Desire  was  now  at  the  age  of  her  mother  when  she 
had  married  —  that  mother  seeming  always  as  an 
older  sister,  being  still  young  herself  in  spite  of  the 
cares  of  a  large  family  —  but  it  was  more  than  a 
year  later  before  Desire  decided  to  marry,  and  be 
the  first  bride,  though  not  the  eldest,  of  this  pretty 
group.  The  girls  of  this  generation  never  having 
experienced  the  world's  hardships  and  vicissitudes 
that  had  been  their  mother's  portions,  having  been 
carefully  and  lovingly  brought  up  in  comfortable, 
cheerful  homes,  were  not  anxious  to  leave  them  for 
the  first  time,  even  with  love  to  point  the  way. 
However,  Desire  was  beginning  to  listen  to  the  im- 
portunities of  her  dashing  young  lieutenant  —  in 
later  years  known  as  Captain  John  Gorham,  who 
was  to  lead  the  2nd  Barnstable  Company  under 
command  of  Major  William  Bradford,  Mercy's 
brother,  into  fame,  at  the  Great  Swamp  Fight  in 
Philip's  War.  The  swift  knitting  needles  click  in 
Desire's  hands  as  she  stands  by  the  frame- work  of 
the  western  window,  leaning  to  watch  the  progress 
of  the  sampler  which  is  being  worked  by  a  lovely 
girl  who  is  sharing  the  broad  window  seat  with 
another,  who  has  evidently  completed  her  sewing, 
having  just  folded  it  and  put  it  into  a  bag  hanging 
from  her  arm.  This  young  beauty  is  Betty  Alden  — 
eldest  of  the  family  of  John  and  Priscilla.  She  too, 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  175 

is  eagerly  watching  the  stitches  that  are  to  tell  the 
worker's  admirers  and  friends,  from  that  day  to 
this,  that  the  sampler  was  made  by  Lora  Standish, 
only  and  much  beloved  daughter  of  the  Pilgrim's 
Captain.  That  piece  of  handicraft  is  the  only  speci- 
men of  their  work  that  we  know  of  and  may  look  at 
today  as  if  we  had  seen  it  when  its  stitches  were 
being  placed,  among  the  group  we  are  picturing  of 
Plymouth  Colony 's  first-born  daughters  —  the  first 
native  generation  of  Colonial  girls  of  New  England. 
On  a  seat  by  the  hearth,  Mary  Cooke  and  Mercy 
Fuller  have  a  book  between  them  and  are  reading 
aloud  snatches  of  receipts  for  making  perfumes,  or 
poetry,  or  jokes  —  this  is  not  a  monthly  magazine 
as  we  might  fancy  from  our  own  experience,  but  a 
yearly  periodical,  welcomed  by  every  household  — 
Pierce 's  Almanac,  printed  in  Cambridge,  its  con- 
tents holding  much  that  is  similar  but  much  that 
is  different  to  the  magazines  we  know.  Leaning 
over  the  high  back,  smoothing  the  soft  hair  of  Mercy 
Fuller,  is  Hope  Rowland.  Bonny  as  her  sister  is, 
somehow  Hope  reminds  us  more  of  little  Elizabeth 
Tilly  of  Leyden.  Mercy  Bradford  is  placing  little 
cakes  with  a  pitcher  of  cider  on  a  big  center  table 
and  lights  one  or  two  bayberry  candles  in  wooden 
holders  that  stand  upon  its  polished  top  and  twinkle 
on  it  or  in  the  shining  pewter  dishes  and  cups.  At 
the  window  towards  the  street,  Deborah  Hopkins 
and  Mary  Brewster,  granddaughter  and  namesake  of 
our  first  Mary  Brewster,  are  looking  out  —  evident- 
ly some  one  is  expected.  The  last  rays  of  the  win- 


176  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

ter  sun,  the  flashing  fire  and  the  glowing  bayberry 
flames,  strive  to  light  for  one  more  instant  this  ap- 
pealing picture.  There  is  sound  of  footsteps  in  the 
cold  air  outside  —  stamping  and  laughing  —  the 
brothers  and  sweethearts  have  arrived  to  take  the 
girls  home  but  first  to  have  some  slight  refreshment 
at  the  hands  of  Mistress  Bradford  and  Mercy. 
Cloaks  are  brought  and  velvet  hoods  tied  snugly 
over  hair  both  light  and  dark,  surrounding  the  pink 
cheeks  and  sparkling  eyes  of  all  the  happy  girls 
who  have  spent  the  day  with  Mercy  Bradford  and 
her  mother. 

The  snowflakes  of  winter  have  turned  to  falling 
apple  blossoms  and  spring  has  awakened  the  violets 
in  the  flower  beds  under  the  windows  of  William 
Brewster's  library.  The  fragrance  of  these  and 
other  blossoms  is  borne  through  the  white  curtained 
windows  open  to  the  warm  air,  mingled  with  the 
saltness  of  Duxbury  marshes.  The  library  com- 
prises four  hundred  books,  the  largest  and  most 
valuable  in  America.  Whether  it  is  or  no,  matters 
not,  the  books  are  the  solace  of  their  owner,  who 
while  enjoying  his  farm  life  and  appreciating  the 
companionship  of  his  son's  families  and  Isaac  Al- 
lerton,  Jr.,  his  grandson,  dwells  much  within  him- 
self. To  keep  the  books  dusted  and  the  Elder's 
chair  in  just  the  right  place,  Mrs.  Love  Brewster 
has  often  the  assistance  of  her  nieces,  Jonathan 
Brewster's  daughters.  This  bright  morning  sees 
Mary,  one  of  the  girls  in  the  winter's  frolic  at  Mercy 
Bradford's,  attending  to  these  matters.  A  boy  is 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  177 

deep  in  study  by  a  bookshelf,  and  Mary,  playfully 
sweeps  her  duster  across  his  book  as  she  works  —  it 
is  her  cousin,  Isaac  —  preparing  for  entrance  into 
the  new  College  at  Cambridge.  Up  the  road  a  horse 
comes  at  a  lively  pace  and  Samuel  Fuller  has  ar- 
rived to  join  with  Isaac  in  reading  the  precious 
books,  though  his  father  left  him  some  of  his  own. 
The  owner  of  the  library  glances  through  the 
window  and  smiles  and  nods  to  the  young  people  — 
Mary  seeing  him,  runs  out  to  enjoy  with  him  the 
sunshine  and  to  pat  the  horse  tied  near  the  door. 
Possibly  William  Brewster  recalls  from  the  past  a 
spring  morning  when  another  lad  rode  a  horse,  to 
acquire  knowledge  from  books  —  but  he  says  noth- 
ing as  Mary  slips  her  arm  in  his. 

This  decade  flashes  many  another  change  before 
our  eyes.  In  a  few  years  the  first  church  building 
has  been  erected  in  Plymouth,  with  Richard  Church 
as  architect  and  builder,  as  seems  appropriate.  Its 
bell  rings  out  for  many  a  year,  succeeding  the  roll 
of  drums  to  summon  worshipers.  Many  of  the  girls 
marry  and  the  younger  children  succeed  to  their 
pleasures.  Mercy  Bradford  has  gone  to  live  in  Boa- 
ton  as  Mercy  Vermayes.  Her  mother's  loneliness  is 
partly  relieved  by  the  coming  to  her  of  her  remain- 
ing sister  in  England,  Mary  Carpenter.  This  sister 
is  rather  notable  among  the  women  of  Plymouth,  in 
that  she  never  married.  Her  attractions  were  not 
less  than  her  sisters ' ;  indeed,  from  what  was  said  of 
her,  quite  an  appropriate  companion  for  the  gover- 
nor's wife,  her  sister,  Alice.  Another  exception  to 


178 


the  general  rule  may  be  noted,  and  another  spinster 
of  the  colony  named  Elizabeth  Pool,  daughter  of  Sir 
William,  who  coming  as  Plymouth's  boundaries  ex- 
panded, and  possessing  wealth,  property  and  intelli- 
gence, remained  unwon.  These  two  esteemed  wo- 
men, one  a  resident  of  Plymouth  town,  the  other, 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  new  township  of  Taun- 
ton,  are  an  interesting  contrast.  Miss  Carpenter 
lived  quietly,  uneventfully,  until  ninety  years  old; 
of  a  religious  frame  of  mind  and  given  to  kind  deeds, 
unknown,  through  her  retiring  nature.  Miss  Pool 
seems  much  more  modern  in  her  career.  She  erected 
iron  works  and  was  altogether  enterprising  and  a 
promoter  of  advancement  for  her  settlement.  She 
brought  over  a  minister  for  the  church  in  Taunton, 
so  had  a  thought  for  religion,  also,  not  only  for  her- 
self but  for  others.  A  record  states  "she  died 
greatly  honored,  in  1654  aged  66." 

Edward  Winslow  was  again  governor  for  a  brief 
period  and  then  made  another  trip  to  England,  at 
the  request  of  the  authorities  of  the  Bay,  as  they 
had  recognized  his  great  abilities  as  a  negotiator  of 
business  interests  and  there  were  some  affairs  press- 
ing on  the  Bay  Colony  which  he  undertook  to 
remove.  This  was  to  the  regret  of  the  Plymouth 
people  who  were  reluctant  to  have  him  go  from 
their  own  affairs.  He  left  Susanna  and  his  children, 
almost  grown  now,  in  comfortable  Careswell,  and 
there,  for  several  years,  his  wife  awaited  his  return. 
Not  that  the  Bay  or  his  own  affairs  took  very  long, 
but  England  herself  needed  him,  as  it  seemed,  and 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  179 

he  agreed  to  a  diplomatic  mission  to  an  island 
colony.  Loving  Plymouth  and  loving  England  he 
was  not  destined  to  rest  in  either;  his  grave  was 
made  in  the  ocean  he  had  crossed  so  often.  Susanna 
had  parted  from  her  husband  for  the  last  time. 

Other  deaths  among  the  first  comers  saddened  the 
Pilgrims.  Elizabeth  Hopkins  closed  her  long  and 
honorable  career  as  one  of  the  women  of  Plymouth. 
Her  husband  soon  followed  her.  In  this  year  per- 
haps its  greatest  blow  fell  on  Plymouth  when  their 
leader  in  spiritual  and  often  advisor  in  temporal 
things  passed  from  among  them.  No  words  can  more 
fittingly  describe  the  beautiful  end  of  his  earthly 
life  than  those  of  the  governor.  There  is  no  greater 
record  of  loyalty  and  affection  than  that  shown  in 
the  nearly  fifty  years  between  his  followers  and  him- 
self. While  his  fame,  as  William  Bradford  said,  is 
more  enduring  than  a  marker  at  his  grave  —  which 
he  lacks,  in  company  with  so  many  —  such  words  as 
the  governor  wrote  of  him  and  such  work  as  Con- 
stantino Brumidi  has  made  to  represent  him,  serve 
to  keep  it  vigorous  through  the  centuries.  (In  the 
President's  room  at  the  Capitol  in  Washington, 
Brumidi  has  painted  Elder  Brewster  as  typifying 
Religion.) 

When  Mary  Chilton  Winslow  moved  to  Boston,  it 
could  not  have  seemed  more  strange  or  different 
than  Plymouth  had  come  to  be  to  her  by  that  time. 
Except  the  Aldens,  the  Howlands  and  her  sister-in- 
law,  few  remained  who  had  been  her  companions 
and  friends  on  the  Mayflower  and  in  building  the 


180  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

colony.  Her  husband  had  become  a  prosperous  mer- 
chant in  the  West  India  trade  and  perhaps  Boston 
seemed  a  necessary  relief  to  them.  Their  position 
became  at  once  prominent  and  important  and  her 
life  flowed  happily  onward  for  many  years.  In  one 
of  her  daughters,  Myles  Standish,  Jr.,  found  his  fate, 
and  upon  their  marriage  likewise  settled  in  Boston. 

Meanwhile  Susanna  Winslow  continued  in  emi- 
nence of  circumstance,  to  live  at  her  beautiful  home 
in  Marshfield.  Her  boys,  Resolved  and  Peregrine, 
had  married  and  made  homes  of  their  own  but  re- 
mained devoted  to  her.  Josiah,  her  youngest  son, 
reproducing  in  a  marked  degree  the  look  and  man- 
ners of  his  talented  father,  remained  with  her.  As 
he  grew  into  the  handsome,  courtly  man,  whom  all 
admired,  she  must  have  smiled  as  she  looked  some- 
times at  the  little  shoes  he  had  worn  as  her  baby  and 
which  she  carefully  kept  with  other  treasures  — 
such  as  the  cradle  in  which  she  had  rocked  all  her 
boys  and  little  girl.  That  little  girl  was  now  Mrs. 
Robert  Brooks  of  Scituate. 

In  the  heyday  of  Plymouth's  prosperity  a  gentle- 
man in  England,  long  interested  in  colonial  life  by 
the  reports  of  it  which  had  found  their  way  to  him 
in  his  comfortable  ancestral  home,  planned  a  visit 
to  see  life  across  the  sea.  With  his  young  daughter, 
Penelope,  Mr.  Herbert  Pelham  came  to  the  Old 
Colony.  The  spirit  of  adventure  in  them  both  and 
the  interest  they  found  in  their  new  surroundings 
caused  them  to  linger  for  a  period  beyond  the  length 
of  a  casual  visit  in  their  temporary  home  in  Marsh- 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  181 

field.  To  the  men,  the  companionship  of  Herbert 
Pelham  was  a  delight,  and  seeing  her  father's  pleas- 
ure, Penelope,  with  her  own  various  employments, 
did  not  long  for  home.  Her's  is  the  last  romance 
we  may  notice  as  closely  connected  with  the  women 
of  our  special  interest  in  Plymouth  colony,  even 
as  that  of  her  mother-in-law,  was  the  first.  Pene- 
lope Pelham,  with  her  high-bred  manner  and  aristo- 
cratic face,  made  the  only  permanent  impression  on 
the  heart  of  Josiah  Winslow  and  we  can  easily  fancy 
that  in  making  her  bead  bag,  Penelope  had  plenty 
of  time  to  decide  that  for  him  she  would  renounce 
all  thought  of  returning  to  her  home,  and  remain  a 
colonial  woman.  The  bead  bag,  her  dressing-case 
and  her  portrait  are  other  links  connecting  us  to 
those  vivid  lives  of  our  chronicle. 

Soon  Josiah  Winslow  was  called  to  the  place  occu- 
pied by  his  father,  for  a  time,  and  by  William  Brad- 
ford for  many  years  —  when  the  great  governor  had 
left  it  vacant,  forever  —  so  Penelope  became  the 
first  lady  of  the  land  in  her  adopted  home  and 
Susanna  closed  her  life's  history  in  the  first  place 
which  had  been  hers  so  often  in  the  colony  —  first 
mother  after  the  Mayflower  found  harbor,  first  bride 
of  Plymouth  and  now  mother  of  the  first  native 
born  governor  of  New  England.  Truly  the  foot- 
prints of  Anna  Fuller,  since  we  found  them  first 
in  Leyden,  have  led  us  along  a  colorful  pathway. 

The  records  we  find  of  her  brilliant  daughter-in- 
law  show  her  a  character  after  Susanna  Winslow 's 
own  type.  The  second  mistress  of  Careswell  lived 


182  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

there  for  many  happy  years  ere  she  and  her  family 
were  forced  to  flee  from  it  under  the  fearful  scourge 
of  Philip's  War. 

Thus  on  through  its  seventy  years  of  shadow  and 
sunshine,  heroic  daring,  splendid  achievement  and 
independence,  we  may  follow  the  fascinating  rec- 
ords of  Plymouth  Colony  —  especially  as  those 
records  are  tinted  even  faintly  by  the  foot-prints 
and  finger-touches  of  its  women. 

As  the  first  death  on  the  Mayflower  at  anchor  was 
that  of  a  woman,  Dorothy  Bradford,  so  the  last  sur- 
vivor of  the  original  Mayflower  company  was  a  wo- 
man, Mary  Allerton  Cushman,  who  saw  all  of  the 
life  with  its  chances  and  changes  of  which  we  read. 

Through  the  years  we  may  well  believe  that  the 
women  of  the  Mayflower  who  became  the  women  of 
Plymouth,  and  their  children,  whether  in  newer 
homes  or  remaining  in  the  old,  looked  back  to  the 
early  days  of  their  privation,  when  by  their  anxie- 
ties, their  sorrows,  their  economies,  their  endeavors, 
their  fearlessness  and  faith,  the  foundation  of  their 
colony  was  laid. 

We  may  well  echo  their  thoughts  as  they  remem- 
bered some  of  Elder  Brewster's  words  on  their  first 
Thanksgiving  Day,  which  one  orator  has  expressed  as 
' '  Generations  to  come  will  look  back  to  this  hour  and 
these  scenes,  this  day  of  small  things  and  say,  'Here 
was  our  beginning  as  a  people.  These  were  our 
fathers  and  mothers.  Through  their  trials  we  inherit 
our  blessings.  Their  faith  is  our  faith,  their  hope 
our  hope,  their  God  our  God. '  ' 


A  CHAPLET  OF  ROSEMARY. 


A  CHAPLET  OF  ROSEMARY. 

BURIAL  HILL  no  longer  bristles  with  the  guns  of 
the  Pilgrim's  fort  but  is  thickly  studded  with  the 
graves  of  the  generations  who  in  turn  walked  on 
Plymouth's  first  street  below.  One  traversing  this 
way  and  recalling  the  scenes  it  has  witnessed,  must 
be  indeed  insensitive  not  to  feel  the  thrill  that  comes 
from  treading  on  hallowed  ground.  Particularly 
must  this  be  experienced  by  the  descendants  of  the 
women  we  would  honor. 

We  know  that  upon  Cole's  Hill,  Burial  Hill  and 
in  the  old  burying  grounds  at  Duxbury  and  Marsh- 
field  are  the  graves  of  many  of  the  women  of  Plym- 
outh, and  some  lie  elsewhere,  yet  the  exact  location 
of  how  few  is  positive. 

The  second  wife  of  Governor  Bradford  requested 
in  her  will  that  she  might  be  laid  as  near  her  hus- 
band's grave  as  might  be.  Their  family  plot  is 
easily  found.  By  another  will,  that  of  Captain 
Myles  Standish,  we  may  know  where  two  of  the  wo- 
men of  his  family  rest  —  since  his  own  grave  is 
located  and  his  request  was  to  lie  beside  his  two  dear 
daughters  —  one  his  son's  wife  Mary,  the  other  his 
own  lovely  Lora,  whose  early  death  caused  him  much 
sorrow.  At  Marshfield,  in  the  family  burying 
ground,  Susanna  Winslow  rests.  A  stone  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  town  of  Taunton  marks  the  grave  of  Eliza- 


186  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

beth  Pool.  A  tablet  at  Little  Compton,  has  been 
erected  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth  Pabodie,  John 
and  Priscilla  Alden's  eldest  daughter;  she  lived  her 
later  years  in  this  place.  Mary  Chilton  Winslow 
lies  beside  her  husband,  in  King's  Chapel  Burying 
Ground,  Boston;  their  names  are  marked  upon  a 
slab  at  the  gate  in  Tremont  Street.  Elizabeth  Tilly 
Howland,  after  she  became  a  widow,  went  to  live 
with  her  daughter,  Lydia  Brown,  in  Swansea  and 
there  died;  her  husband's  grave  on  Burial  Hill  is 
known,  but  she  was  not  brought  back  to  rest  beside 
him.  The  grave  of  Mary  Allerton,  who  lived  to 
such  a  great  age  and  saw  the  foundations  of  twelve 
of  the  thirteen  colonies  which  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  United  States,  is  indicated  by  a  monument 
erected  to  her  and  her  husband  on  Burial  Hill. 

We  would  willingly  make  a  pilgrimage  to  visit 
each  known  spot,  regretting,  the  while,  that  there 
were  so  many  we  might  not  include.  Yet  upon  all 
we  may  place  the  same  unfading,  if  invisible,  wreath 
of  the  leaves  that  signify  remembrance. 

Descendants  of  the  women  of  Plymouth  are  now 
estimated  to  number  more  than  a  million.  It  is  for 
them  especially  to  rejoice  in  the  results  of  artist's 
brush,  writer's  pen  or  sculptor's  tool  that  have  been 
produced  in  efforts  to  recall  to  all  the  world  that 
epoch  in  its  history  in  which  these  women  lived,  by 
portraying  the  events  of  which  they  were  a  part. 

Thus  we  have  such  pictures  as  Jacob  and  Albert 
Cuyp's  painting  of  the  "Departure  of  the  Pilgrims 
from  Delfshaven."  J.  G.  Schwartz's  picture  of 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  187 

"The  Pilgrim  Fathers'  First  Meeting  for  Public 
Worship  in  North  America."  "The  Embarkation 
of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,"  painted  by  Charles  W. 
Cope,  hangs  in  the  British  House  of  Parliament. 
"The  Sailing  of  the  Mayflower,"  a  painting  in  the 
audit  house,  Southampton,  England  —  no  more  ap- 
propriate setting  could  be  found  for  that  portrayal. 
Charles  Lucy  has  called  his  picture  "Departure  of 
the  Pilgrims,"  it  is  in  Pilgrim  Hall,  Plymouth  — 
that  Memorial  temple.  Robert  W.  Wier's  painting 
of  "Embarkation  of  the  Pilgrims"  hangs  in  the  na- 
tion's Capitol,  while  Edgar  Parker's  copy  of  it  is  in 
Pilgrim  Hall.  A.  Gisbert  has  given  us  his  idea  of 
the  "Landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  at  Plymouth 
Rock,"  and  the  "Landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers" 
is  the  title  taken  by  Henry  Sargent.  "The  May- 
flower in  Plymouth  Harbor,"  is  portrayed  by  W.  F. 
Halsall,  and  Granville  Perkins  has  visualized  "The 
Mayflower  at  Sea,"  while  Linton  has  engraved  this 
subject.  George  H.  Boughton  has  made  charming 
and  familiar  reproductions  of  the  Pilgrim  men  and 
women,  and  many  another  artist's  ideal  has  been 
depicted  in  the  variations  of  the  subject. 

Fiction,  verse  and  chronicle  with  the  themes  of 
the  voyage  and  the  Plymouth  home  of  the  Pilgrims 
have  been  produced  by  many  able  pens.  Skillful 
historians,  essayists,  orators  have  done  justice  to  the 
men;  the  events  entering  into  their  lives,  the  cour- 
age and  valor  which  each  day  brought  forth,  have 
been  recorded  with  emphasis  and  unflagging  zeal. 
We  are  indeed  glad  and  appreciative  of  the  constant 


188  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

narration  of  the  facts  with  which  we  have  become  fa- 
miliar. At  the  same  time,  the  regret  comes  to  us  that 
of  the  women  so  little  has  been  said;  that  the  bal- 
ance of  the  two  groups  of  the  colony  builders  has 
not  been  better  kept. 

Of  the  Fathers  we  are  accustomed  to  hear,  but  our 
gratitude  salutes  those  who  occasionally  mention  the 
Mothers  and  Daughters.  They  were  two  character- 
istic notes  in  the  making  of  that  Pilgrim  score  but 
because  the  latter  was  more  lightly  struck  it  has 
been  too  lightly  regarded.  Nevertheless,  we  rejoice 
that  we  know  as  much  as  we  do  of  the  women,  and 
in  the  knowledge  that  increasing  recognition  is  being 
given  them. 

Recently  a  plan  was  made  that  a  chime  of  bells 
should  be  placed  in  the  tower  of  the  Pilgrim  Monu- 
ment at  Provincetown  and  dedicated  to  the  Women 
of  the  Mayflower  by  their  descendants.  More 
recently  still,  Henry  H.  Kitson  has  modeled  a  statuo 
of  a  Pilgrim  Woman  for  erection  at  Plymouth,  in 
their  memory.  We  may  recall  here  the  noble  monu- 
ment erected  by  the  nation  to  the  Pilgrims.  In  this 
design  a  woman  is  the  exalted  figure  who  holds  the 
book  and  gazes  over  the  sea.  Also  of  the  four  im- 
portant though  lesser  figures,  two  are  women.  Hon. 
John  D.  Long  has  said  of  the  heroic  figure,  "Her 
eyes  look  toward  the  sea.  Forever  she  beholds  upon 
its  waves  the  incoming  "Mayflower,"  she  sees  the 
Pilgrims  land.  They  vanish,  but  she,  the  monument 
of  their  faith  remains  and  tells  their  story  to  the 
world,"  which,  as  another  has  said,  "in  romance  of 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  189 

circumstance  and  charm  of  personal  heroism  .     .     . 
is  pre-eminent." 

Well  may  be  seen  the  qualities  of  heart  and  mind 
reproduced  in  countless  of  their  descendants  who 
have  carried  on  the  influence  of  their  personality 
and  work,  deepening  its  roots  down  through  the 
years.  "The  light  they  kindled  has  shone  to  many, 
in  some  degree  to  our  whole  nation."  In  proof  of 
this  is  a  relation  of  some  who  have  claimed  descent 
from  a  Pilgrim  of  the  Mayflower  or  of  Plymouth. 
This  will  comprise  Presidents  of  the  United  States, 
presidents  of  universities  or  colleges,  jurists,  dip- 
lomats, writers,  artists,  military  and  naval  men  of 
all  our  wars,  governors  of  states,  church  dignita 
ries,  physicians,  scientists,  senators,  representatives, 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  makers 
of  the  Constitution.  It  is  difficult  to  begin,  more  so 
to  pause,  in  such  a  list. 

Annie  A.  Haxtun  has  said  of  one  to  be  mentioned, 
"John  Tilly's  spirit  of  adventure  has  fallen  upon 
one,  at  least  of  his  descendants,  General  A.  W. 
Greely,  the  Arctic  explorer,  watched  over  by  the 
God  of  his  Pilgrim  forefathers,  was  saved  by  the 
naval  relief  expedition  to  do  good  to  the  country, 
which  is  his  on  a  claim  of  more  than  two  centuries." 
It  is  John  and  Hope  Chipman,  daughter  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  Tilly  Rowland,  who  are  also  ances- 
tors of  General  Greely ;  and  it  may  here  be  said  that 
it  is  partly  through  his  suggestion  that  the  subject 
of  this  work  was  projected  (in  the  smaller  form  of 
its  first  appearance) ;  the  other  descendant  likewise 


190  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

responsible  was  Mr.  William  Lowrie  Marsh,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  founder  of  the  Society  of  Mayflower 
Descendants  in  that  city ;  the  ancestors  of  Mr.  Marsh 
were  William  and  Alice  Bradford. 

John  and  Priscilla  Alden,  William  and  Mary 
Brewster,  Richard  and  Elizabeth  Warren  and  Fran 
cis  and  Hester  Cooke  have  as  their  descendants  those 
who  have  been  Presidents  of  the  Republic:  John 
Adams  and  John  Quincy  Adams,  Zachary  Taylor, 
Ulysses  Simpson  Grant  and  William  Howard  Taft. 
Also  from  the  Aldens  have  descended  President 
Wheelock  of  Dartmouth  College  and  President  Kirk- 
land  of  Harvard. 

Bishop  Soule  of  the  Methodist  Church  is  in  line 
of  descent  from  George  Soule  and  his  wife. 

Descendants  of  Giles  Hopkins  and  Catherine 
Wheeldon  have  added  distinction  to  the  family. 
Stephen  Hopkins,  great  grandson  of  the  original, 
again  made  the  name  famous  by  placing  it  among 
the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
while  his  brother,  Ezekiel,  became  the  first  admiral 
of  our  national  navy.  At  the  present  time  it  is 
important  through  Colonel  Thomas  S.  Hopkins,  a 
veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  past  Governor-General  of 
the  General  Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants  and 
a  prominent  lawyer  and  resident  of  Washington, 
D.  C. 

In  Washington,  also,  Mr.  Ernest  W.  Bradford,  an 
able  patent  lawyer,  continues  the  eminence  of  the 
name  of  his  ancestors.  Washington,  likewise,  is  the 
residence  of  Mr.  A.  A.  Aspinwall,  historian  of  that 


191 


city's  Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants,  represent- 
ing John  and  Elizabeth  Rowland. 

A  descendant  of  Francis  and  Hester  Cooke  is 
Major  General  Leonard  Wood,  at  present  Governor- 
General  of  the  General  Society  of  Mayflower  De- 
scendants. 

The  late  Hon.  Levi  P.  Morton,  one  time  governor 
of  New  York  State  and  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  was  descended  from  the  Hopkins  and  Cooke 
as  well  as  Morton  families. 

From  John  and  Priscilla  Alden  have  come  the 
poets  William  Cullen  Bryant  and  Henry  Wadsworth 
Longfellow,  and  the  first  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  America,  Samuel  Seabury ;  also  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  Generals,  Joseph  and  James  Warren, 
the  former  of  Bunker  Hill  fame,  the  latter  President 
of  the  Congress  of  Massachusetts  and  husband  of 
Mercy  Otis,  writer  and  patriot.  Benjamin  Church 
on  whom  the  mantle  of  Myles  Standish  fell  as  Plym- 
outh's  military  leader,  was  the  son  of  Elizabeth 
Warren  and  Richard  Church. 

In  line  of  descent  from  Mary  and  William  Brews- 
ter  is  a  family  of  North  Carolina,  interesting  in 
three  generations,  Chief  Justice  Richmond  Mum- 
ford  Pearson,  Hon.  Richmond  Pearson,  Envoy  Ex- 
traordinary and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of  the 
United  States  to  Persia,  Captain  Richmond  Pearson 
Hobson,  a  hero  of  the  Spanish  American  War. 

From  them  also  is  Donald  Grant  Mitchel,  author, 
Lieut.  Alden  Davidson,  an  aviator  in  the  World  War 
died  for  his  country;  as  his  name  implies,  John  and 


192  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

Priscilla  Alden  were  his  ancestors.  A  great  great 
granddaughter  of  theirs  was  Faith  Robinson;  she 
married  Governor  Trumbull  of  Connecticut,  George 
Washington's  "Brother  Jonathan"  which  name 
gradually  became  a  synonym  for  a  typical  Ameri- 
can. She  gained  fame  for  giving  her  scarlet  cloak 
at  a  church  collection  for  the  army,  in  which  she 
was  decidedly  interested,  having  three  sons  as  offi- 
cers. Her  fourth  son  was  the  famous  artist.  Mrs. 
May  Alden  Ward,  author,  was  a  descendant  in  a 
recent  generation. 

From  Mary  (Allerton)  and  Thomas  Cushman 
came  America's  famous  tragedienne,  Charlotte 
Cushman;  also  Mr.  Cushman  K.  Davis,  Governor  of 
Minnesota,  who  made  the  speech  of  dedication  at  the 
ceremonies  connected  with  the  Cushman  Monument 
on  Burial  Hill. 

From  Constance  Hopkins  and  her  husband  Nicho- 
las Snow,  Robert  Treat  Paine,  signer  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independance,  and  Robert  Treat  Paine,  poet 
were  descended. 

In  the  convention  which  framed  the  Constitution 
John  Tilly  and  the  Rowlands  were  represented  by 
their  descendant  —  through  Desire  Rowland  and 
Captain  John  Gorham  —  Nathaniel  Gorham,  who,  as 
a  member,  was  several  times  requested  by  General 
Washington  to  occupy  the  chair. 

From  this  same  group  came  Bishop  Philips 
Brooks.  As  it  is  said,  John  Howland  came  to  this 
country  in  the  capacity  of  secretary  to  Governor 
John  Carver,  one,  at  least,  of  his  and  Elizabeth's 


193 


descendants  filled  that  position  toward  another  ce- 
lebrity. Edward  Herbert  Noyes,  journalist  and 
traveller,  first  returned  to  the  land  of  his  ancestors 
as  private  secretary  to  Hon.  John  Lothrop  Motley, 
historian  and  diplomatist,  United  States  Ambassa- 
dor to  the  Court  of  St.  James.  Rev.  Thomas 
Clap,  fourth  President  of  Yale  College,  was  also 
of  the  line  of  Rowland,  while  his  wife,  Mary 
Whiting,  was  descended  from  Governor  Bradford 
and  his  wife. 

From  Mary  Chilton  and  her  husband  John  Wins- 
low,  comes  Mrs.  Robert  Hall  Wiles,  of  Chicago,  past 
President  of  the  National  Society  of  United  States 
Daughters  of  the  War  of  1812  and  now  serving  as 
President-General  of  the  National  Society  Daugh- 
ters of  Founders  and  Patriots  of  America.  From 
Mary  and  John  Winslow,  also,  came  Lieutenant 
Sturdevant,  another  young  aviator  of  the  World 
War,  killed  over-seas  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

For  another  repetion  of  the  exact  name  of  his  an 
cestor  there  is  Doctor  Myles  Standish,  a  noted 
occulist  of  Boston.  In  the  medical  profession  also 
Doctor  Stuart  Clark  Johnson  of  Washington  and 
Doctor  Ira  Hart  Noyes  of  Providence,  the  first  from 
John  and  Priscilla  Alden,  the  second  from  John  and 
Elizabeth  Rowland,  both  answering  the  call  of  duty 
to  country  in  the  World  War,  to  serve  over-seas. 

Two  residents  of  Washington  are  Hon.  William  S. 
Washburne  —  United  States  Civil  Service  Commis- 
sioner and  Mr.  Frank  Herbert  Briggs  of  the  Court 
of  Claims  —  descended  respectively  from  Francis 


194  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

and  Hester  Cooke,  and  the  Brewster,  Bradford  and 
Alden  families. 

The  late  Henry  Billings  Brown,  Associate  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  was 
another  descendant  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Rowland 
while  the  late  Seth  Shepherd,  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Court  of  Appeals  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  was 
another  representative  of  the  line  of  William  and 
Mary  Brewster.  Mr.  A.  Howard  Clark,  who  was 
editor  of  the  magazine  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, was  a  descendant  from  the  Brewsters,  Hop- 
kins and  Rowlands.  The  name  of  Howland  Davis 
tells  plainly  why  he  has  done  so  much  for  present 
day  Plymouth  and  the  Society  of  Mayflower  De- 
scendants. 

In  the  United  States  Senate  are  three  prominent 
descendants  of  the  Pilgrims.  The  ancestors  of  Sena- 
tor Henry  Cabot  Lodge  of  Massachusetts,  chairman 
of  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations,  are  John  and 
Elizabeth  Tilly  Howland.  The  Senators  from  New 
York  and  Vermont,  Hon.  James  Wolcott  Wads- 
worth,  Jr.,  and  Hon.  Carroll  Smally  Page,  are 
descendants  respectively  from  Giles  and  Catharine 
Hopkins  and  William  and  Mary  Brewster. 

A  descendant  in  the  person  of  William  Wallace 
Case,  has  visited  Scrooby  and  brought  from  there  a 
piece  of  oak  once  a  part  of  the  old  Manor  house, 
home  of  his  ancestors,  William  and  Mary  Brewster 
—  this  priceless  relic  has  been  made  into  the  gavel 
used  by  the  Governor  of  the  District  of  Columbia 
Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants. 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony  195 

In  hundreds  of  cities  and  towns  and  villages  of 
the  nation  there  are  other  and  equally  consistent 
representatives  of  the  glorious  names  of  their  Plym- 
outh ancestors.  As  we  have  seen  the  men  in  all  the 
branches  of  service  to  their  country,  the  women  may 
be  compared  no  less  favorably  in  what  they  have 
rendered.  In  their  nation's  wars,  they  have  ever 
been  faithful,  and  their  efforts  as  beneficial  to  the 
men  and  cause  as  were  those  of  their  ancestors  of 
their  own  sex,  whose  work  was  as  the  mortar  in  the 
solid  foundation  wall  of  the  nation  they  helped  to 
build.  Someone  has  said  that  always  in  the  history 
of  mankind  the  woman  has  been  at  her  best  when  she 
has  felt  herself  most  needed.  Every  reason  then  for 
her  to  attract  as  she  appears  in  pioneer  days,  in 
those  of  the  Revolution  or  War  for  the  Union  and 
in  the  World  War,  unfailingly  illustrating,  uncon- 
sciously or  not,  the  age  old  motto  of  Noblesse  Oblige. 

In  hamlet  or  city,  women  descendants  of  Plym- 
outh women  upheld  the  honor  of  their  men  and 
country  in  Red  Cross,  Government  Loans  or  "Y." 
work  during  the  World  War.  In  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission and  Nursing  Units  of  the  Civil  War  the  wo- 
men's spirit  was  the  same,  and  in  1776  when  their 
days  were  nearest  to  the  pioneer  women,  the  women 
of  the  Revolutionary  War  inheriting  the  courage 
and  self -forgetfuln ess,  matched  the  heroism  of  the 
men.  Thus  each  generation  of  women  has  met  the 
crisis  actuated  by  the  same  unanimity  of  purpose 
and  devotion  —  from  each  in  turn  their  successors 
have  caught  the  falling  torch,  assuring  that  they 


196  The  Women  of  the  Mayflower 

shall  not  have  lived  and  worked  in  vain.  And  they 
may  sleep  in  peace. 

The  American  women  of  today  must  meet  the 
challenge  of  the  women  of  1861,  1776  and  1620.  She 
must  bear  comparison  with  them  in  fundamental 
things.  Patriotism,  firmness,  thrift,  decision  and  re- 
sourcefulness, characteristics  which  are  their  heri- 
tage. As  someone  has  said,  "We  are  living  in  the 
tomorrow  for  which  they  wrought.  We  are  to  do 
today  with  all  fidelity  each  bit  of  work  which  lies 
at  our  hands.  This  will  make  our  next  day  brighter 
and  by  so  much,  set  the  world  forward. ' ' 

The  mission  of  the  Mayflower  company  was  to 
open  the  way  for  a  successful  colonization  of  the 
New  World.  Its  mission  was  faithfully  performed. 
In  studying  the  details  and  circumstances  relating 
to  the  immortal  voyage  and  settlement  of  Plymouth 
—  particularly  in  relation  to  the  women,  vested  to- 
day with  supreme  interest  and  in  a  glamour 
peculiarly  their  own,  we  must  feel  that  that  nobility 
of  life  may  be  ours  as  well  as  theirs  and  that  it  may 
illuminate  the  difficult  life  of  today  and  make  it 
worthy  to  be  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  Liberty  they 
helped  to  plant,  in  tears  and  smiles. 

Realizing  the  heavy  debt  that  we  owe  to  the  men 
who  were  led  to  undertake  the  settlement  of  Plym- 
outh we  owe  an  equal  if  not  greater  debt  to  the 
women  who  had  the  courage  and  spirit  to  enter  with 
them  into  the  great  and  epoch  making  adventure. 
These  make  the  shrines  which  we  would  visit.  It  is 
with  reverence  that  we  view  not  only  the  soil  which 


and  Women  of  Plymouth  Colony 


197 


first  they  trod  but  every  spot  associated  with  them. 
If  history  as  some  one  has  said  is  in  its  unchange- 
able essence  a  tale,  then  this  particular  history  is  a 
tale  that  cannot  be  too  often  told  or  heard,  not  mere- 
ly to  hold  our  attention  to  the  past  but  by  its  light 
to  look  forward  with  a  thrill  to  the  future,  to  the 
tasks  and  service  for  civilization,  under  the  Provi- 
dence by  which  the  women  of  the  Mayflower  and  the 
women  of  Plymouth  were  upheld.  This  will  be  the 
best  memorial  we  can  give  these  women  all  through 
the  years ;  the  remembrance  that  cannot  fade. 


ii  ii  i 


HIM 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


315 


-1158  00862  7803 


A     000  037  639     2 


